Claim compensation if your property is affected by HS2
Express Purchase Scheme
You can sell your property to the government through the Express Purchase Scheme if either:
- your house or 25% of the total area of your property is inside the area marked 鈥榮urface safeguarding鈥� on the 鈥榮afeguarding maps鈥�
- your property was in the safeguarding area (called the 鈥楨xtended Homeowner Protection Zone鈥�) but has since been removed - check with HS2 whether you qualify
You can still apply to sell your property with a 鈥榖light notice鈥� if you do not qualify for Express Purchase - but the government will only buy your property if it鈥檚 needed for the construction of HS2.
Who can apply
You must be the owner occupier of a residential, agricultural or commercial property, or their 鈥榩ersonal representative鈥� if they鈥檝e died, for example the executor of their will.
Mortgage lenders (for example banks and building societies) in vacant possession of a qualifying property can apply.
Your commercial property will not qualify for Express Purchase or under a blight notice if it has a rateable value of 拢36,000 or more (拢44,200 inside Greater London).
An owner occupier must:
- be the freeholder or a leaseholder with at least 3 years left on the lease
- be living in or running a business from the property or have done so for at least 6 months in the last 18 months if the property鈥檚 currently empty
You can get advice from a about your eligibility.
Read full guidance on eligibility.
What you鈥檒l get
If you qualify the government will:
- buy your property at its open market value as if HS2 was not going to be being built (known as 鈥榰nblighted鈥� value)
- give you a 鈥榟ome loss鈥� payment equal to 10% of the property鈥檚 open market value (up to 拢71,000)
- pay reasonable expenses, for example stamp duty, surveyors鈥� and legal fees, and removal costs
Apply
You must complete the correct blight notice to apply for Express Purchase.
You must include original or certified copies of:
- proof of ownership, for example Land Registry title
- proof the property was occupied for 6 months of the last 18 months, for example utility bills covering at least 6 months
- business rates bills, if you鈥檙e applying for a commercial property
- plans of the property, for example Land Registry plans showing the property boundaries
- proof of representation, if applicable, for example power of attorney
If you鈥檙e sending a blight notice but do not qualify for Express Purchase, include a description of what you鈥檝e done to sell the property, for example copies of correspondence with estate agents.
Email your completed application to HS2 with your supporting documents.
HS2 compensation applications
[email protected]
You can also send your notice and supporting evidence by registered post.
Secretary of State for Transport
c/o High Speed Two (HS2) Limited
Land and Property Team
Two Snowhill
Birmingham
B4 6GA
What happens next
You鈥檒l get a decision on your application within 2 months.
You have up to 3 years to accept the offer if your application鈥檚 accepted.
Track your application online
HS2 will send you a username and password to track your application after you apply.
You can then . You鈥檒l choose a new password after you sign in for the first time.
If you have not been sent a username and password, contact your HS2 case officer for help tracking your application.
Complaints
Follow HS2鈥檚 complaints procedure if you want to complain about the service you received, for example about how long it took to reach a decision on your application or the result.