Troubled housebuilder Bovis Homes has said it will have cleared customer service issues by the end of the year in which people complained they were moving into unfinished properties.

In its half year results, the New Ash Green-based company said the problems had been identified and were “all very fixable, with good progress already made”.

Earlier this year it emerged it had offered to pay customers up to £3,000 to move into unfinished homes to meet completion targets.

A warning that profits would come in about £10 million less than expected at the turn of the year was quickly followed by the departure of then chief executive David Ritchie.

Its new boss Greg Fitzgerald said a new strategy had put the company back “on the path to sustainable, profitable growth”.

The company suffered a 31% fall in pre-tax profit to £42.7 million in the first six months of the year and cut the number of homes it completed by 6% to 1,512.

However, a 9% increase in the average sale price of its homes to £277,000 helped revenues grow 4% to £427.8 milion.

“I am confident that our new strategy will set the group on the path to sustainable, profitable growth..." - Greg Fitzgerald, Bovis Homes

Its share price was up more than 7% in early trading to £11.30.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “The first half of 2017 has been a period of stabilisation and strategic reorganisation for Bovis Homes Group.

“I am confident that our new strategy will set the group on the path to sustainable, profitable growth.

“The new strategy of disciplined volume growth, allied with a renewed focus on customer satisfaction and build quality, will deliver the homes that are required in the locations where people want to live.

“The group’s strong balance sheet and valuable land bank mean we are well set to provide the stable returns to shareholders that their patience and support have deserved.”

The company has opted to keep its dividend at 15p per share.