Landmark legal claim launched against UK’s biggest housebuilders
30 June 2026
A collective action has been filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal on behalf of more than 700,000 people who bought a new-build home in Great Britain between October 2015 and 24 June 2026.
The claim is being brought against Barratt Redrow, Bellway, Redrow, The Berkeley Group, Bloor Homes, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Vistry Group and Countryside Partnerships, by respected consumer champion Mark McLaren on behalf of all potentially affected homeowners. He is represented by Geradin Partners and Hausfeld, acting as co-counsel. The value of compensation sought is estimated at between £2.2 billion and £4.5 billion, equivalent to between £3,100 and £6,200 for each affected homeowner.
The claim follows an earlier Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation that looked at the conduct of housebuilders between January 2022 and February 2024, which resulted in the companies accepting binding commitments in October 2025 to address the CMA’s concerns. The commitments included agreements by the housebuilders not to share certain types of sensitive commercial information in future, alongside enhanced compliance measures and a £100 million contribution towards affordable housing initiatives. However, this claim seeks to go beyond the CMA investigation. It alleges that the impact of information sharing may have extended well before 2022, and seeks compensation for homeowners allegedly affected from October 2015 onwards
Court documents allege that the housebuilders exchanged competitively sensitive information with one another, including information relating to prices, buyer incentives and sales activity. The claim alleges that these information exchanges reduced competition between the housebuilders and resulted in homeowners across Great Britain paying more for new-build homes than they should have. If established, this type of conduct would amount to a breach of UK competition law and could result in the housebuilders being liable for substantial damages.
Mark McLaren, the proposed class representative, said:
“Buying a home is one of the biggest financial commitments most of us will make. If, as seems to be the case, housebuilders shared sensitive pricing and sales information with one another instead of competing properly, homeowners across Great Britain may well have been left out of pocket as a result. This claim is about standing up for those buyers and ensuring that compensation is delivered to those who deserve it.”
Patrick Teague, Partner at Geradin Partners, said:
“We are pleased to have been instructed by Mark McLaren to bring these proceedings, together with our co-counsel at Hausfeld. The claim raises important issues about competition in the new-build housing market, and we look forward to assisting the Tribunal in determining those issues and, if the claim succeeds, securing compensation for affected homeowners.”
Scott Campbell, Partner at Hausfeld & Co. LLP, said:
“For most homeowners, bringing an individual claim simply isn’t realistic, as the cost and complexity put it out of reach. That’s why this collective action is so important. It provides a practical route for hundreds of thousands of consumers to seek compensation where they may otherwise have had no way of doing so.”
Notes to editors
Before the case can proceed, it must first be approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The Tribunal will hold an initial certification hearing to decide whether to grant a Collective Proceedings Order, which would allow the claim to move forward as a collective action. If approved, the case would then proceed to a full trial.
The claim is led by Mark McLaren, a consumer champion and experienced class representative, through HOCR Limited, a special purpose company set up to carry out the litigation.
The proposed class representative has instructed Geradin Partners and Hausfeld & Co. LLP as co-counsel. Patrick Teague and Jenny Reeves lead the Geradin Partners team, supported by Kieran Anderson, Temi Alade and Oliver Montgomery.
Joseph Bell and Dr Gunnar Niels, both Partners at Oxera, have been instructed as lead expert economists.
The legal team is further supported by leading competition counsel, including Tim Ward KC and Ben Lask KC of Monckton Chambers, and Daniel Carall-Green and Hannah Bernstein of Fountain Court Chambers.
It is funded by Burford Capital, which has committed up to £29 million to the proceedings. Class members will not be required to pay any costs and bear no financial risk if the claim is unsuccessful.
Further information, including the full Proposed Class Definition, is available at www.housebuildersclaim.co.uk and on the Tribunal’s website at www.catribunal.org.uk.
