New home registrations in London fell by 27% last year, contrasting with an 11% increase across the UK, according to the National House Building Council (NHBC). The warranty and insurance provider recorded 115,350 new home registrations nationwide in 2025, up from 103,669 in 2024, but London saw just 4,723 registrations, down from 6,451.
The NHBC, which covers over 70% of the UK market for new build warranties, said private sector registrations rose 12% to 75,227, while the rental and affordable sector increased 10% to 40,123. However, apartment registrations slipped 2% to 16,631, a trend the NHBC attributed partly to challenges in London.
Daniel Pearce, corporate strategy director at the NHBC, highlighted ongoing difficulties for the capital: “We’re increasingly hearing of house builders reducing their operations in London, citing regulatory challenges and cost. Set against a decline in affordable housing delivery and a backlog of building control applications, it is unsurprising apartment registrations fell in 2025.”
Nationally, new home completions also declined, falling 2% to 122,012 from 124,272. Pearce noted that while planning reforms and addressing skills shortages could help, “resolving affordability challenges for home buyers remains the key to unlocking demand and boosting house building activity.”
