Top 5 Reasons to Provide Your Homebuyers with a Home User Guide

For property developers, delivering an exceptional customer experience is about more than building high-quality homes.  It’s about providing homebuyers with the tools and information they need to get the most out of their new home and its surroundings.  One of the most effective ways to do this is by providing a comprehensive, plot-specific Home User Guide.

Since 2022, building regulations have stipulated that homebuilders, ‘Must provide homeowners with information to help them use their new homes in a healthy and energy efficient way,’ explains the Future Homes Hub.  They also note that, ‘You must give homeowners a user guide about how to operate and maintain the services and systems included in their new home.’  However, meeting requirements shouldn’t be your aim.  This should be seen as a baseline, an opportunity to go above and beyond.

The reason for this is that, while these Guides are often seen as a benefit to the homeowner, the truth is they deliver substantial value to the homebuilder, as well.  From enhancing your brand to reducing the workload for your customer care team, a Home User Guide is an investment that pays dividends, long after the completion of the home’s sale.  

In this newsletter, we will explore the benefits homebuilders can enjoy when they supply Home User Guides for their homebuyers, and outline the top five reasons to include one with every home you sell.

1. Strengthen Your Brand and Reputation

A Home User Guide can work as a powerful branding tool, as they provide an opportunity to reinforce your company values, quality standards, and attention to detail.  Although these may have been obvious throughout the build stages and sale of the property, your buyers will be reminded of your brand messaging for as long as they live in the property when they have this useful and practical tool to help them understand their new home and how best to maintain it.

Homebuilders understandably place their focus on constructing impressive and quality homes, which is of course a primary concern.  However, providing a Home User Guide sets you apart by demonstrating a commitment to customer support and post-sale care.

Homebuyers who feel supported like this are more likely to recommend your company to friends and family or return to you for future home purchases.

As the customer experience agency, Bokka Group, explains, ‘As we know, home buying is an emotional process.  That means having a trusted and credible brand is needed to establish a positive emotional connection with potential customers.  When a homebuilder has built this trust and credibility, they will naturally see an increase in sales and customer loyalty.’  In essence, therefore, a Home User Guide helps transform a one-time buyer into a lifelong advocate for your brand.

2. Reduce Customer Care Calls

One of the most immediate and measurable benefits for homebuilders when supplying a Home User Guide is the reduction in customer care calls they receive.  New homeowners often have questions about their property, from appliance operation to heating system controls.  Without guidance, these questions inevitably come back to your customer care team.

As the Call Centre Help advises, ‘As a starting point to reduce call volumes, the contact centre should gather the top reasons why customers are calling in.’  They go on to explain that, ‘Now the call types that you want to reduce have been decided, those in the contact centre should ask themselves: what are the alternatives for customers?’  The Home User Guide provides homebuyers with a quick and easy alternative solution to answering their questions and concerns, without having to pick up the phone or send an email.

By providing detailed, easy-to-understand Guides, homebuilders can lower their costs through preventing a significant volume of calls and emails.  This means fewer members of your team required in this area, allowing for a better allocation of resources.  Your team can focus on complex or high-value issues rather than answering repetitive questions.

It also allows for faster resolution for queries that so arise, because when information is clear and accessible, homeowners can solve minor issues themselves, and understand more about the issues that are out of their control.  This ultimately improves their satisfaction while reducing your workload.

A Home User Guide therefore functions as a first line of support, allowing your team to use their time more effectively.

3. Ensure Compliance with Industry Codes and Standards

Many homebuilders are aware that building codes and warranty requirements are not just legal necessities – they are also essential for protecting your business.  In fact, they have had a positive effect on the outlook of the entire industry.  As the Approved Code Scheme, a UK program that helps homebuyers identify trustworthy businesses, points out, ‘Before the Code was introduced, satisfaction with new homes was below 50%.  This has improved significantly, with nearly 90% of buyers willing to recommend their builder.’ 

A well-prepared Home User Guide helps ensure that homeowners understand how to maintain their property in line with industry standards.  This significantly reduces the homebuilder’s risk of non-compliance, as can providing clear maintenance instructions, which help prevent issues that might otherwise lead to breaches of building codes or warranty terms.

Home User Guides also work to enhance accountability.  As they document your advice on property maintenance and appliance usage, they naturally provide a reference point if disputes were to arise.  In a similar vein, warranty providers or insurers often require proof that homeowners were given proper guidance on home care.  Home User Guides give homebuilders the peace of mind that they are audit ready, as the Guides would satisfy this requirement.

This means that your Home User Guide isn’t just an informative tool for homebuyers.  It is a protective measure you can take, safeguarding your business against avoidable risks.

4. Enable Self-Service and 24/7 Access to Information

With today’s world relying so heavily on technology to satisfy its multifaceted needs, it’s understandable that homebuyers increasingly expect instant access to information.  As Forbes highlights, ‘Customers have come to expect more convenience and instant gratification.’  This can be a challenging prospect for homebuilders but a Home User Guide, in either a digital or printed format, empowers homebuyers to find answers on their own terms, anytime they want or need them.

In essence, this can work as a 24/7 support system without requiring any extra staff, as digital guides can be accessed via tablet or smartphone, providing round-the-clock assistance without additional customer care overhead.

It also allows for consistent messaging, as every homeowner receives the same accurate, up-to-date guidance, reducing the risk of miscommunication.

And finally, in the case of digital guides, homebuilders can track which sections are accessed most frequently, helping them to understand common pain points and improve homes or support materials.

In other words, a Home User Guide turns one-way information into a self-service tool that benefits both homeowners and your operations.

5. Strengthen Customer Confidence and Long-Term Satisfaction

While it’s important to remember that the Home User Guide primarily benefits the homebuilder, it also boosts customer satisfaction by creating a sense of confidence and reassurance.

For homebuilders, this means fewer complaints and call-backs, as when homeowners know how to operate systems and care for their property, minor issues are less likely to escalate into formal complaints.

These Guides also enhance brand loyalty.  A well-informed homeowner is more likely to have a positive view of your company long after the sale, translating into positive reviews and social proof.

Plus, clear guidance on appliance use, maintenance, and troubleshooting can prevent avoidable damage that would otherwise trigger warranty interventions.

By proactively providing the information homeowners need, you reduce friction, strengthen relationships, and protect your bottom line.

Providing a Home User Guide is far more than a courtesy for homebuyers.  For the homebuilder, it’s a strategic tool that strengthens your brand, reduces customer care calls, ensures compliance, enables self-service, and enhances long-term customer confidence.

In a market where differentiation can be challenging, a well-crafted Home User Guide is a worthwhile investment.

At Classic Folios, we specialise in creating bespoke, branded and plot-specific Home User Guides that deliver maximum value to builders, developers and homeowners.  From content creation to design and digital integration, we ensure every guide meets your brand standards while supporting your operational goals.

To find out more about the solutions we offer and to discuss your projects with our Head of Partnerships, please get in touch.