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Author Topic: Bovis homes - Desperate for a better Star Rating?  (Read 14474 times)

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New Home Expert

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Bovis homes - Desperate for a better Star Rating?
« on: October 05, 2016, 07:52:05 am »
Are Bovis Homes this desperate for a better HBF Star Rating?
Are they trying to avoid a two star (or worse!) rating again this year?

As posted on Twitter by '@grundle111'; Bovis Homes site staff apparently sent this letter to recently legally completed homes. (Harcourt Hill, Botley development?)
Is this an isolated incidence  or  a company-wide directive?

The Home Builders Federation Star rating survey rules are quite clear and this clearly breaches 21,22,23,24, & 25 but nothing is done to stop this by the HBF even though they are aware of their own rules being breached! Did Persimmon try and buy a better star rating last year?

Quote
"Rule 21. Members may encourage homeowners to respond to the Survey by informing them of its existence prior to the commencement of the invitation process which begins exactly 8 weeks after legal completion. However, once the invitation process has started Members should not discuss the survey with the respondent or pressurise them to complete it.

Rule 22. Members may not offer respondents any direct financial or other benefit or incentive that is any way linked to completing the Survey or answering any of the questions in the Survey in a particular way. Members may advise respondents that they will make a charitable donation for each returned Survey.

Rule 23. Members must not under any circumstances seek to intercept the survey whilst en-route to or from the respondent and NHBC.

Rule 24. In line with the Bribery Act 2010 Members must not incentivise or pressurise respondents into completing the Survey with dishonest responses, this applies to all questions in the Survey including the respondent’s right to keep their responses anonymous.

Rule 25. To avoid the perception and/or possibility of influence, Members must not be present when the respondent completes the Survey,

Rule 27. Once response are received they cannot be amended or retracted due to the potential for the respondent to have been incentivised or otherwise influenced to dishonestly amend or retract their response.”

It's time the Home Builders Federation (HBF) stopped the likes of Bovis Homes and other plc housebuilders fiddling their customer satisfaction survey and star rating. It has long been my opinion that the results of the survey should not be taken by consumers at face value. The results can hardly be regarding as independent of the industry.

The HBF look after the housebuilders' interests. In 2015, the HBF received £2,660,000 in subscriptions from its member hosuebuilders. The HBF works to "influence Government policy in the areas that impact on its members  ....create a better operating environment for the industry, ensuring policies are workable for its members." [housebuilders]

Its hardly likely to self-harm by sanctioning or banning the likes of Bovis and  Persimmon - two major subscription contributors.

This is why, during my presentation to the APPG Inquiry last November, I called for a fully independent new home customer satisfaction survey, with all results for each housebuilder made public along with the NHBC 9-month survey results.
I was delighted that the APPG Inquiry Into Quality of New Homes stated in its Report:
Quote
Recommendation 10: Housebuilders should make the annual customer satisfaction survey more independent to boost customer confidence.

"We believe it would boost consumer confidence if the Customer Satisfaction Survey is seen to be more independent of the NHBC and the HBF – bringing in a high profile third party to conduct and take ownership of the research in their name. Furthermore we would like to see more in depth research on consumer trends based on the follow up survey carried out by the NHBC in their nine-month survey. We feel this could provide a real insight into how builders are tackling initial defects and complaints."

As I told the inquiry; the housebuilders can (and do) freely and easily manipulate their customer's satisfaction survey responses and have even encouraged their buyers through threat or favour to give positive responses than they might otherwise have done.

On this latest evidence it is still happening!
The HBF must act now.

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Re: Bovis homes - Desperate for a better Star Rating?
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2016, 09:56:16 am »
Unbelievable!!


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Re: Bovis homes - Desperate for a better Star Rating?
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2016, 10:49:17 am »
That's just what I know about.
Think of all the threats ("we won't do your snagging") and promises ("we'll give you free turf, paving") at site level given to buyers in return for a favourable survey response.

Perhaps that's why in the 'secret' NHBC 9-month survey, as the NHBC revealed to the APPG Inquiry committee,  customer satisfaction survey scores are generally 5-10% LOWER than the HBF 8-week survey.
Basically every housebuilder is currently over-rated by at least one star.
New Home Blog - New Home Expert is committed to providing help and advice for people having issues with their new homes and difficulties with house builders as well as helping potential buyers reduce the risk of possible problems if they do buy.