<p><span>New home registrations in the private sector dropped 16% during July to September against the equivalent period last year, according to NHBC’s latest statistics. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>During the Q3 period, 27,916 private homes were registered against 33,110 a year ago. Meanwhile, registrations in the affordable and rental sector (including shared ownership and homes for private, social or affordable rent) continued to climb, up 11% in the period to 11,448.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>The fall in private home registrations resulted in a 9% drop in total registrations during Q3, standing at 39,364.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Three out of 12 UK regions saw growth during the quarter. The West Midlands experienced a 52% lift in registrations to 4,760. This was driven by 1,200 plots being registered in Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village, NHBC said. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>Total completions fared better, up </span><span>7% to 34,799 new homes in Q3 2019 year-on-year, with 11 out of 12 regions seeing completions growth.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Steve Wood, NHBC’s ceo, said: </span><span>“It is great to see the strength of the affordable and rental sectors, whilst we would hope that the slowdown in private sector registrations is transient, and a function of short-term Brexit uncertainties.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>“In any event, NHBC will continue to work with builders …