Mortgage and lending problems accounted for one-third of failed property sales recorded by Quick Move Now during the second quarter of 2026.
The property-buying company found that finance issues caused 33% of its fall-throughs, while problems uncovered during surveys accounted for a further 27%.
Broken chains, changes in buyers’ circumstances and legal complications were each responsible for 13% of unsuccessful transactions.
The analysis provides an indication of why transactions continue to collapse, although it reflects Quick Move Now’s own cases rather than the entire UK market.
FALL-THROUGHS DECLINE
The findings follow TwentyCi data showing that the overall volume of sales falling through decreased by 8.7% annually during the second quarter.
Some 23.4% of listings experienced at least one fall-through during the first half of 2026, down from 24.4% over the equivalent period last year.
TwentyCi said the decline suggested that although there were fewer active buyers, those who agreed purchases were increasingly committed to completing them.
Quick Move Now recorded no cases attributed to gazumping or buyers simply changing their minds during the quarter. However, the remaining risks were concentrated around finance, property condition, valuations and chains.
PRICING REMAINS CRITICAL
TwentyCi separately found that the average newly listed property was priced 11.6% above its automated valuation model estimate during the quarter, compared with 5.7% a year earlier.
Overambitious pricing can create difficulties when a lender’s valuation comes in below the agreed purchase price, potentially requiring a buyer to renegotiate, contribute a larger deposit or withdraw.
Danny Luke (main picture), CEO of Quick Move Now, says: “Right now, it isn’t buyers getting cold feet or losing out to a higher bidder; it’s the fundamentals.
“A third of our failed sales come down to buyers simply not being able to get a mortgage over the line, and more than a quarter fall over once a survey has been done.”
Luke says sellers could reduce risk by setting an achievable price from the beginning rather than waiting for a survey or mortgage valuation to challenge expectations.
TwentyCi’s full Q2 Property & Homemover Report is available online.
