Investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct by housebuilders
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-30)

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigated suspected exchanges of competitively sensitive information by 7 housebuilders in Great Britain under the Competition Act 1998.

Case timetable

Decision to accept binding commitments

30 October 2025: The CMA published a non-confidential version of its decision to accept commitments from 7 housebuilders in relation to suspected exchanges of competitively sensitive information.
- Decision to accept binding commitments (PDF, 682KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69021037918e1f940b3cf7e6/Decision_to_accept_binding_commitments_2_30_Oct_2025.pdf) (30.10.25)
To address the CMA’s competition concerns, the housebuilders committed to:
- agree not to share certain types of information with other housebuilders, including the prices houses have been sold for, except in limited circumstances
- introduce enhanced compliance measures and training programmes
- work with the Home Builders Federation and Homes for Scotland to develop industry-wide guidance on information sharing
- make a combined £100 million payment which will be split between affordable housing programmes across all 4 nations of the United Kingdom
Formal acceptance of the commitments by the CMA brought the investigation to an end, with no decision being made as to whether the Competition Act 1998 has been infringed.

Consultation on commitments

9 July 2025: The CMA published a notice of its intention to accept commitments offered by the 7 housebuilders under investigation and invited representations from interested third parties on the proposed commitments. The CMA will consider any representations made in response to the consultation before making a final decision on whether to accept the proposed commitments.
- Consultation on proposed commitments (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-commitments-in-the-investigation-into-suspected-anti-competitive-conduct-by-housebuilders)
- Notice of intention to accept commitments (PDF, 486KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686d252aa08d3a3ca3b678c3/Notice_of_intention_to_accept_commitments_.pdf) (8.7.25)
- Press release: Affordable housing set to benefit from £100 million following CMA probe (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/affordable-housing-set-to-benefit-from-100-million-following-cma-probe) (9.7.25)
Case information

On 26 February 2024, the CMA launched an investigation under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 into suspected breaches of competition law by 8 housebuilders, relating to concerns that they may have exchanged competitively sensitive information.

On 22 August 2024, 2 of the housebuilders that are parties to the CMA’s investigation, namely Barratt Developments plc and Redrow plc, merged to form Barratt Redrow plc.

Further to that merger, the 7 housebuilders whose activities were investigated were:
- Barratt Redrow plc and its group companies
- Bellway plc and its group companies
- The Berkeley Group plc and its group companies
- Bloor Homes Limited and its group companies
- Persimmon plc and its group companies
- Taylor Wimpey plc and its group companies
- Vistry Group plc and its group companies
Notes

Further detail of the CMA’s procedures in Competition Act 1998 cases is available in our guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-the-cmas-investigation-procedures-in-competition-act-1998-cases).

Changes to the timing of original entries in the case timetable will be made if the estimated timing changes.

Personal data

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its investigations, including investigations under the Competition Act 1998. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

You can find more information about how the CMA handles personal information in the CMA’s Personal Information Charter (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/competition-and-markets-authority/about/personal-information-charter).

Contacts

Any media enquiries should be directed to a member of our Press Office: xx-xxxx-xxxx, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Please direct case-related enquiries to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- Assistant Director: Sarah Cawthorne, 0161 938 0892, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- Director: Brian Jackson, xx-xxxx-xxxx, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- Senior Responsible Officer: Geoff Steadman, xx-xxxx-xxxx, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)