About Registration
All you need to know about applying to join our register
Joining the NHBC register
You can apply to register with us either as a builder or a developer. An NHBC registered builder can build and sell homes with the benefit of NHBC warranty and insurance cover such as Buildmark. An NHBC registered developer can only sell homes with our warranty and insurance cover where they have employed an NHBC registered builder to build the homes for them.
Anyone registered with us will need to comply with the NHBC Rules.
To get started you need to apply for an application pack. You can do that here when you’re ready. In the meantime, you may want to find out more about the application process and the costs involved.
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Application process
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Complete your application form and return it to us with the appropriate fee and a Site Notification and Initial Notice (SNIN) form. The SNIN tells us about the site that you plan to develop and want Buildmark cover for. You should send this in as early as you can.
Builders
NHBC registered builders are able to build homes with the benefit of our Buildmark cover* directly for sale to home purchasers or on behalf of our registered developers and housing associations.
Developers
NHBC registered developers can offer homes directly for sale to home purchasers with the benefit of our Buildmark cover* but must employ an NHBC registered builder to construct the homes.
* A registered builder or developer is entitled to apply to register a home for Buildmark cover.
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We will acknowledge receipt of your application and send you a copy of the NHBC Standards, and also how to access these online. We will also give you details of your Building Inspector.
If this is your first site then we will notify you of the name of your Building Inspector for that site. You must contact them to make arrangements for them to carry out the initial inspection.
All inspections will be carried out on a without prejudice basis until it is confirmed that you are registered and have paid the Buildmark fees for the individual plots.
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Next we will complete a commercial assessment, and if you have applied to be registered as a builder we will also undertake a technical assessment.
The commercial assessments
If you are registering as a builder, at this time we will advise on if we require a form of security.
Adverse information may affect your application.
The technical assessment
This is only for applicants applying to the Register as a builder, NHBC will assess your technical ability to build to NHBC standards. We will carry out a site based assessment, consider any prior history you may have with NHBC and your general construction experience.
If we undertake a site based assessment you will need to put forward at least one new build home for us to inspect at key stages in the build. This should be from foundation level up until we have seen sufficient work to be able to decide on your suitability for registration, this will usually be the first fix stage. We will provide contact details of the Building Inspector who will be carrying out the assessment, and it will be your responsibility to give notice to the Building Inspector when a key stage will be ready for inspection.
As part of the technical assessment, you will be required to undertake an online induction, which ends in an assessment. You will also be required to undertake a site health and safety inspection.
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After successful completion of the assessment process, we will make a formal offer of NHBC registration to you.
Each offer of registration will contain the following conditions that form the basis of our future working relationship:
an agreement to adhere to the NHBC Rules
an agreement to register any homes being inspected by NHBC for warranty without delay
an agreement on the number of homes you propose to register for warranty in the short to medium term future
confirmation of the Premium Rating relevant to your application
a request for security, if applicable, which NHBC may call on if you are unable to meet your liabilities under Buildmark. (Please refer to the appropriate Buildmark policy for further information)
The security we require would be requested as a result of the commercial assessment, and please note that additional conditions could be required.
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You formally sign and return the conditions of registration to us.
Once we have received this, we aim to place you on the NHBC Register within 24 hours at which point you will be able to proceed with registering your homes for Buildmark cover.
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Upon receipt of your conditions of registration we send you your Registration Certificate and your NHBC publicity material.
You can now register your plots for NHBC Buildmark and can use NHBC for Building Control services, as well as advertise yourself as being NHBC registered.
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During the course of your application for registration, we will send you a Product Plot Schedule form. This form lists which plots on your site you would like to register for Buildmark cover. You will need to complete and return it to us to generate your quotation.
We cannot issue a quotation unless the builder (and developer if applicable) involved on a site are NHBC registered.
Once you accept the quotation and pay the Buildmark fee, we will send you an activation code for each plot. You can use this to access your Buildmark documentation online. Please be aware that every plot registered will have individual warranty fees.
Costs of Registration
When you apply there is an initial one-off application fee. Once registered with us there an an annual renewal fee.
Fees
When you apply there is an initial one-off application fee. Once registered with us there is an annual renewal fee. Please be aware that every plot registered will have individual warranty fees.
Application fee
When you apply for registration there is an initial one-off, non-refundable fee of:
New builder application fee - £1,304.40 (inc. VAT)
Subsidiary builder fee - £904.80 (inc. VAT)
Note: Companies under the same ownership and controlled by the same directors may be 'grouped' and be treated as a single entity for warranty Premium Rating purposes.
Annual renewal fee
Once registered with us, your annual renewal fee will be payable in April each year. The fee is based on the number of homes you registered for warranty during the previous calendar year.
Renewal questions
These are some of the common questions we get asked. If your question isn't here, please call 0344 633 1000 and ask for 'Customer Services'.
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We will contact you in writing to advise you when your renewal payment is due.
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All fees shown here are inclusive of VAT
Number of Homes Renewal Fee 0 - 2 homes £673.20 3 - 10 homes £1,350 11 - 50 homes £2,032.80 51 homes or over £3,396 Your renewal fee is calculated by the number of homes you had registered with us for warranty in the previous calendar year, 1 January to 31 December
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Renewal fees are payable by Direct Debit, card payment or cheque.
If you pay your renewal fee by Direct Debit. To set up a Direct Debit, please return a completed and signed Direct Debit mandate form to us via email to arenewals@nhbc.co.uk, or to the following postal address:
Customer Services
NHBC
NHBC House
Davy Avenue
Knowlhill
Milton Keynes
MK5 8FP
To make a secure card payment, please visit the NHBC Shop and follow the instructions to select your payment.
To pay by cheque, please make your cheque payable to NHBC and send to the above address.
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If you have registered homes with us and you have not legally completed the sale of these properties, then you must remain registered in order to offer NHBC Buildmark cover on those homes.
If you do not remain NHBC registered and have outstanding plots, this will mean:
- Your building inspector will not be able to issue a CML cover note
- If we are providing Building Control for you, then we may have to consider defaulting to the Local Authority
- Your purchaser's deposit may not be covered by Buildmark
- Your purchaser's solicitor will not be able to obtain cover confirmation to enable the release of funds
- Our online Buildmark Acceptance process will immediately advise the purchaser's solicitor that you are not currently registered with NHBC- referring them back to yourselves to establish whether arrangements have been made regarding cover.
If all sales on your homes have been legally completed and you do not intend to register more homes with us in the future. please call us on 0344 633 1000 and ask for 'Customer Services' to discuss the ways in which NHBC can support your business and may be able to help you in the future.
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No, it is not possible for you to suspend your registration.
If you have any unfinalled or unsold plots and still wish to benefit from selling these with our Buildmark warranty, you will need to remain on our register until the respective legal completion date for these and you will need to continue to pay any annual renewal fees due whilst you remain on the register.
If you have no unfinalled or unsold plots, you can cancel your registration and get it reinstated at any time within 12 months of cancelling. If you choose to do this then you will be required to pay the respective annual renewal fee for the year in which you cancelled your registration at the time of us reinstating it. Reinstating your registration may also be subject to an additional administration charge.
Buildmark warranty fees
Our standard warranty fees for new builders and developers will apply for each new home you wish to register with us. This fee is determined by the estimated sale value of each new home for new-build or conversion properties. For any properties being constructed for social housing on behalf of a Housing Association it would be determined by the overall contract price and net development cost.
Save on future warranty fees with premium rating
Due to our Premium Rating scheme the warranty fees you pay over time should reduce. Our Premium Rating scheme offers an increasing discount subject to your claims history and the time you’ve been registered with us. The better your claims history (compared to our national average) and the longer you've been with us, the more you'll save.