About the campaign
Britain faces a housing crisis. There's a shortage of homes and not enough are being built. As we try to get Britain building again however, it's important to make sure we're building the right type of homes - homes that are well designed, that meet modern lifestyles and will stand the test of time. We've launched the HomeWise campaign because we're concerned that new homes being built today aren't good enough and consumers deserve better. To us, housing isn't just about numbers and percentages or bricks and mortar. It's about people. Our campaign aims to make sure people are put at the heart of housing.
We want to see:
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More homes and better homes - homes that are fit for today and will last into the future.
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Empowered consumers being HomeWise - better information for consumers to make informed decisions when choosing a home and demanding change in the market.
We need your help
In order to be HomeWise we need a better understanding of how people live today and what they want and need from a home.
As a result we want to find out what you, the buyer or renter, really thinks. HomeWise wants to hear your opinion and to understand the issues from your point of view.
This way, we can collect the crucial information needed to help inform the future of homes in the UK – reporting our findings and recommendations through the Future Homes Commission| to the housing industry and to government – persuading them to deliver the best homes possible for you and for future generations.
What you can do:
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Take the Nest Test – find out what the floor area of your home should be according to the London standards.
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Take our survey – tell us whether you agree with your Nest Test findings and what else you think is important.
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Download our guides – an invaluable set of tools to help you make the right property decisions.
Why space matters
The first stage of our campaign is focused on space. Our Case for Space| report has found that many new homes being built fall below the recommended minimum size.
Space is an important factor when choosing your home. From storing possessions to entertaining friends, a lack of space impacts on basic lifestyle needs. In some cases it even has significant impact on our health, educational attainment and family relationships.
Did you know:
In the UK we get less space than our European neighbours, where new homes are built bigger, even in countries with similar population densities (the average new home in England is only 92% of the recommended minimum size).
London is the only place in the UK with minimum space standards (guidance on space required for basic furnishing and activities).
Space is a far better gauge to whether a property is suitable than number of bedrooms, yet there are no regulatory or industry requirements to record the floor area of homes, nor is space made easy to understand.