An eye-opening amount of properties were registered under the National House Building Council’s warranty scheme in the second quarter of last year, it reached a 14 year high of 46,452 homes.
Construction was halted on many sites during the lock down in 2020 which had a significant impact on the year on year comparisons.
Compared to Q2 last year. registrations were up a staggering 130%
Completions were 213% higher year-on-year, to reach 34,644 homes.
Private sector registrations were up 227% compared to Q2 2020 from 10,865 to 35,495, while in the rental sector they were up a mere 17% from 9,375 to 10,957.
Individual UK regions have seen a jump in registrations in Q2 compared to last year, with the highest increases in the North East (+436%) Scotland (+417%) Northern Ireland & Isle of Man (+230%) and in the North West (+212%).
NHBC chief executive Steve Wood says: “Our latest quarter’s registration statistics shows the remarkable recovery the house-building industry has made since activity ground to a halt on site in April and May last year”
“A 14 year-high in new home registrations is quite something in the present environment”
“Despite the combined efforts of the pandemic and Brexit causing labour shortages and some disruption to the supply of material, the outlook for the medium term is a positive on”
Demand for home ownership is holding strong alongside significant investors interest in the growing build to rent and retirement living sectors”