<b><b>Over the past four years, NHBC has introduced widespread improvements to its services, systems and delivery to customers. Just how far-sighted certain of these changes have been is underlined by a housing catastrophe in British Columbia that has rocked the Canadian housebuilding industry. Jane Chapman reports</b></b><br><b>The UK's housebuilders have already witnessed significant changes in their market with the rise of consumerism, mergers and acquisitions consolidating the top players and ongoing change in regulations affecting both building standards and planning guidance. </b><br><b>As the world leader and international model for new home insurance programmes, NHBC is similarly affected by continuous change in its operating environment, including UK and European insurance regulations.</b><br><b><b>Legislative control</b></b><br> Even though NHBC's work is focused on benefiting homebuyers and the industry as a whole rather than maximising profit to satisfy shareholders, it is subject to the same legislation as an insurance company. <p></p><p>&amp;"NHBC falls within the scope of insurance regulations,&amp;" says NHBC financial director Richard Tamayo, &amp;"but we don't fit the typical insurer profile. This means we can be affected by regulations in ways unintended by the legislators.</p><p> &amp;"In the last 18 months we have faced two such situations where changes to UK and European regulations could have damaged …