News

March 2012

Gap widens between private and public sector housing registrations

It is a shame to see the widening of the gap between public and private sector new home registrations in the latest NHBC figures released for January 2012.

Private sector registrations increased by 9 per cent (5,977, compared with 5,484), whereas, as in previous months, public sector registrations contracted year-on-year, with a 20 per cent decrease in January 2012 (1,854 compared with 2,304).

But it is an even bigger shame that in January, the total number of new homes registered throughout the month was only marginally higher (7,831), compared to the same period last year (7,788).

For the rolling quarter November – January 2012, the number of registrations across all sectors was 21,110 – 16 per cent lower than the same period last year (25,022) although some areas of the country bucked the trend. In the north east and north west of England, registrations levels increased 12 per cent and 39 per cent respectively.

Let’s hope the measures being taken by government aimed at stimulating both private and public sector housing start to have an effect.

‘Mort’