More than 700,000 people who bought new-build homes across Great Britain could be affected by a legal claim worth up to £4.5 billion.
The claim alleges that some of the UK’s largest housebuilders shared commercially sensitive information over a number of years, reducing competition and leading buyers to pay more for new-build homes than they otherwise would have.
The case has now been filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which will decide whether it can proceed.
Which housebuilders are involved?
The proposed claim has been brought against:
- Barratt Redrow
- Bellway
- Berkeley Group
- Bloor Homes
- Persimmon
- Taylor Wimpey
- Vistry Group
- Countryside Partnerships.
The allegations relate to the exchange of commercially sensitive information, including:
- Achieved selling prices
- Incentives offered to buyers
- Reservation and sales activity
- Information about customer demand.
The claim argues that sharing this information reduced competition between developers and resulted in higher prices for consumers purchasing new-build homes.
Why has the claim been brought?
The proposed action follows an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The CMA examined whether major housebuilders were sharing commercially sensitive information with one another. Its investigation covered conduct between January 2022 and February 2024.
In October 2025, the CMA accepted legally binding commitments from several housebuilders after identifying competition concerns. These commitments included restrictions on future information sharing, strengthened compliance measures and a £100 million contribution towards affordable housing initiatives.
The companies involved did not admit wrongdoing.
The new legal claim is separate from the CMA investigation. It argues that the alleged anti-competitive conduct extended back to October 2015 and that affected homebuyers should receive compensation.
Who could be affected?
The proposed claim is aimed at people who:
- Bought a new-build residential property in Great Britain
- Purchased from one of the named housebuilders (or a related company)
- Bought their property between 1 October 2015 and 24 June 2026.
According to the claim, around 715,000 homebuyers could be affected. You do not necessarily need to still own the property to be included.
How much compensation could people receive?
Some experts estimate that eligible homebuyers could receive between £3,100 and £6,200 if the claim succeeds.
However, any compensation would depend on several factors, including the purchase price, whether the property was bought jointly and how damages are ultimately assessed by the Tribunal.
There is no guarantee that compensation will be awarded.
What happens next?
The claim has only recently been filed. Before it can proceed, the Competition Appeal Tribunal must decide whether to certify it as a collective action. This is an important legal stage that determines whether the case can continue.
If the Tribunal certifies the claim, it will then consider the evidence, including whether competition law was breached and whether homebuyers suffered financial loss.
If you bought a new-build home from one of the housebuilders involved, it’s worth keeping an eye on developments.
We’ll be sharing more information about the claim soon, including how eligible homebuyers can stay informed as the case progresses.
Join the Claim connects consumers with SRA-regulated lawyers. Visit the claim page to check your eligibility if a claim is open with one of our trusted legal partners. If a group action has not yet been launched, you can register your interest and we’ll keep you informed if a partner firm decides to take a claim forward.
