Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Strategy. Read the original article for full details.
A legal claim valued at up to £4.5 billion has been filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) against several of the UK’s largest housebuilders. The claim alleges that these companies exchanged competitively sensitive information, which may have resulted in higher prices for new-build homes purchased in Great Britain between October 2015 and 24 June 2026.
The action is being brought on behalf of more than 700,000 people who bought new-build homes during this period. The claim targets major housebuilders including Barratt Redrow, Bellway, Redrow, The Berkeley Group, Bloor Homes, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Vistry Group, and Countryside Partnerships.
The proposed class representative is consumer champion Mark McLaren, with legal representation from competition law firms Hausfeld and Geradin Partners. The estimated compensation sought ranges from £2.2 billion to £4.5 billion, which could equate to between £3,100 and £6,200 for each affected homeowner.
This legal action follows a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into the conduct of housebuilders between January 2022 and February 2024. That investigation led to binding commitments from the companies in October 2025, including agreements not to share certain types of sensitive commercial information in the future, enhanced compliance measures, and a £100 million contribution towards affordable housing initiatives.
The current claim alleges that the impact of information sharing may have extended before 2022 and seeks compensation for homeowners allegedly affected from October 2015 onwards. The Home Builders Federation was asked to comment but has not yet responded.
This development is relevant for UK letting agents and inventory clerks, as it may affect the market for new-build homes and the interests of clients who purchased properties during the specified period.
Source: Mortgage Strategy