AQW 39393/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any responsibilities his Department currently holds in relation to (i) protections; and (ii) quality standards, for purchasers of new-build homes.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 29 January 2026
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 29 January 2026
- Answer due by
- 13 February 2026
- Answered
- 6 February 20268 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
My Department does not hold responsibility for quality standards for purchasers of new‑build homes.
Protections for homeowners provided for by my Department arise from the Defective Premises (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 as recently strengthened by the Defective Premises Act (Northern Ireland) 2024.
The Act provides for protections for homeowners and tenants where dwellings are defective or unsafe, leaving them uninhabitable.