A governing body for new homes who will issue a 10 year structural guarantee. Their inspectors will ensure that your new home is built properly and is safe.

National House Building Council. This is a non-profit making, independent body, approved by the Department of the Environment, which lays down standards for house builders who are registered with it. There is no compulsion for house builders to register with the NHBC but those who do are expected to maintain certain standards and are disciplined by the Council should these standards fall. The NHBC issues ten-year certificates that allow for the remedying of any serious structural defects that have developed during that time. The certificate is issued in respect of a building and automatically passes to the person who owns the house at any time during the ten years. It is most unusual for any lender to grant a mortgage on a new property without this certificate.