House builders blame banks for crisis

Redrow and Barratt Developments accused the banks of downgrading valuations on new properties to restrict lending. Redrow said the practice of down valuation by surveyors representing mortgage lenders was ‘widespread’ and posed a ‘major obstacle’ in the recovery of the housing market. It blamed the gap in valuation for about two-thirds of its current cancellation rate of 20 per cent. A spokesperson for Barratt said the policy was creating a ‘two-scheme mortgage sector’ and added that house builders were asking for new builds to be valued ‘appropriately’.