Stewart Milne Group and Miller Homes are two of only 15 housebuilders in the UK to be awarded 5 star status by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) this year.

The continued commitment to quality and customer care has seen both firms awarded the highest level attainable in the HBF’s National New Home Customer Satisfaction Survey for the fourth consecutive year.

The independent survey was launched by the HBF 10 years ago to provide a guide for homebuyers in making their purchasing decision and to encourage high levels of service amongst home builders. The number of stars awarded is based on the homeowner feedback in an independent National New Homes Survey of customer satisfaction, conducted by the National House-Building Council (NHBC).

The 2015 results were announced last night at an industry-hosted event with only fifteen housebuilders achieving the prestigious five star customer satisfaction rating this year as opposed to 18 in 2014.

The criteria for 5 star ratings are: 90 per cent or more of homeowners must be prepared to recommend their builder to a friend and at least 90 per cent must be very or fairly satisfied with quality.

The survey covered the year to the end of September 2014, is entirely independent of any builder or builder group and is independently validated by Reading University.

The independent industry accolade recognises the 90 per cent customer satisfaction rating achieved across Stewart Milne’s housing divisions in North and Central Scotland and Northwest England.

John Slater, Stewart Milne Group managing director – homes, said: “This award recognises the company-wide effort in the planning, construction, marketing and sales of our homes in Scotland and England. But more importantly, it provides an independent assurance on the quality of our homes and our service to home buyers.

“We have worked hard to achieve and maintain our five star status over a four year period and will continue to deliver quality homes backed up by exceptional customer service.”

In its own independent customer satisfaction surveys, 95 per cent of Miller Homes customers said they would recommend the home builder to their best friend. Miller Homes has been undertaking customer satisfaction surveys since 1999. Carried out by an independent research agency, the survey is completed by customers once they have settled into their new home to evaluate their overall satisfaction before, during and after the home-buying process.

Chris Endsor, chief executive of Miller Homes, said: “We are very pleased to have retained our five star rating for customer satisfaction in the HBF’s survey once again.

“It is a fantastic achievement for our teams, particularly during a period in which demand and completions have increased significantly. Despite this additional pressure we have continued to go to great measures to ensure that we are continuously exceeding our customers’ expectations with the quality of our product and the levels of service we provide.”

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, said: “The Customer Satisfaction survey is an excellent way of measuring the level of customer service house builders achieve. The scheme is an independently monitored survey of the people who really matter to our industry, our customers. To achieve such a high level of customer satisfaction requires commitment from board room to site, and is a fantastic achievement.”

Chris Endsor added: “We have consistently achieved exceptionally high scores from our own survey results and are very proud of our innovative homes, quality workmanship and excellent levels of customer service, which together demonstrate ‘the Miller Difference’ – our business philosophy which is at the very heart of everything we do.

“This latest recognition from the purchasers of our homes provides further evidence of our commitment to delighting our customers throughout their home-buying journey with us and their experience of living in a Miller home.”