New build homeowners could be in line for payouts of up to £6,200 each as part of a £4.5 billion collective legal action. The claim, brought by Mark McLaren – a former parliamentary and legal affairs manager at consumer group Which? – alleges that seven major housebuilders shared commercially sensitive information, artificially inflating prices.
Which Housebuilders Are Targeted?
The legal action is against Barratt Redrow, Bellway, The Berkeley Group, Bloor Homes, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, and Vistry Group. It impacts approximately 700,000 buyers who purchased new build homes between October 2015 and June 24, 2026.
Allegations of Anti-Competitive Conduct
The claim alleges that the builders shared pricing and sales information with each other instead of competing fairly, pushing up prices artificially. Mark McLaren stated: “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.”
Collective Action for Consumers
Scott Campbell, a partner at Hausfeld, explained: “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.” He added earlier: “This is a significant proposed collective claim concerning alleged anti-competitive conduct in the new-build housing market. We are pleased to be acting as co-counsel alongside Geradin Partners and bringing to the table our expertise in collective actions as well as cartel litigation. With Burford Capital providing funding and with a highly experienced counsel and expert team in place, we are perfectly placed to help bring this claim.”
Legal and Regulatory Context
Patrick Teague, Partner at Geradin Partners, concluded: “The CMA’s findings describe frequent exchanges of competitively sensitive information relating to achieved prices, incentives, and sales and reservation activity. This is the type of conduct that can distort competition and harm consumers. We look forward to supporting Mark in bringing this claim on behalf of UK homebuyers.”
