The most common reasons for failed sales include the buyer changing their mind and withdrawing from the sale (36%), difficulty obtaining a mortgage (33%), and the buyer pulling out or failing in an attempt to renegotiate a lower purchase price after a survey (18%).

Reasons for failed sales

Danny Luke, whose company Quick Move Now released the figures, says: “The UK property market in 2025 was a story of high activity but also high fragility. While buyer demand remained resilient and transaction volumes were at their strongest in years, the 'completion gap' is widening. We are seeing a shift where traditional risks, like broken chains, are being replaced by more personal and financial hurdles. In a climate of selective lending and economic caution, a sale is no longer a 'done deal' until exchange.

“The latest data on sale completion fall throughs reveal some telling trends about buyer behaviour and the current lending climate. Here is the breakdown:

Buyer changed mind (36%): This is our largest category. Over a third of fall-throughs are happening simply because buyers are getting cold feet. This suggests a level of 'buyer's remorse' or hesitation, likely driven by economic uncertainty or a lack of urgency.

Mortgage struggles (33%): Financing remains a massive hurdle. One in three of all fall-throughs occurs because the buyer cannot secure the necessary lending. This points directly to tighter criteria from banks and the impact of fluctuating interest rates on affordability.

Survey issues (18%): While less frequent than financing issues, a significant portion of buyers are pulling out specifically after the survey results come back. This highlights the importance of realistic pricing relative to property condition.

Chain breaks (13%): Interestingly, this is our smallest category. While chain collapses are often blamed for market woes, the data shows that individual buyer circumstances are currently much more disruptive than the chain itself.

Looking ahead to 2026, the market is expected to enter a period of gradual recovery. Most experts forecast modest house price growth of between 2% and 4%, supported by a slow easing of mortgage rates. While this should improve affordability and release some 'pent-up' demand, transaction volumes are likely to remain steady rather than surging, meaning that the quality and commitment of a buyer will remain just as critical as the offer itself.

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Notes to editors:

Quick Move Now was founded in 1998 to offer homeowners a quick and guaranteed property sale.

As the UK's original and largest homebuying company, Quick Move Now has bought and sold more than 6,500 properties.

Quick Move Now is a founding member of the National Association of Property Buyers and a member of The Property Ombudsman.