Common Problems
How to handle the issues that most commonly delay or derail a house sale in the UK.
around one in four agreed house sales in England and Wales falls through before completion. Chain collapse, gazumping, survey problems, slow solicitors, and buyer financing issues are among the most frequent causes. These guides explain what can go wrong at each stage of the process and, more importantly, what practical steps you can take to prevent problems or deal with them quickly if they arise.
Why Do House Sales Fall Through? (And How to Prevent It)
The most common reasons UK house sales collapse before exchange, and what sellers can do to reduce the risk.
Common Problems · 12 minHouse Sale Fall-Through Rate 2026: The Latest UK Data
23.7% of agreed UK sales collapsed in Q1 2026. The latest data by region, cause and timing — and why the published rates disagree with each other.
Common Problems · 11 minWhen Do House Sales Fall Through? The Timing Data
38% of fall-throughs happen in the first four weeks after a sale is agreed. The risk profile week by week, and what to do in each window.
Common Problems · 10 minHow to Fall-Through Proof Your House Sale
One in four agreed sales collapses. A practical seller’s checklist for removing the avoidable causes — survey risk, paperwork, buyer vetting and chains.
Common Problems · 12 minBinding Contracts, Gazumping and Gazundering: What Changes
Nobody is committed until exchange, which is why gazumping and gazundering exist. What the government’s binding conditional contracts would change, and when.
Common Problems · 11 minSurvey Issues Cause 37.5% of Fall-Throughs
More UK sales collapse because of a survey finding than for any other reason. Which findings do the damage, why, and how sellers get ahead of them.
Common Problems · 11 minNo Building Regulations Certificate: What to Do When Selling
What happens if you do not have a building regulations completion certificate for past work, and the options available to still sell.
Common Problems · 10 minGazumping: How to Protect Yourself as a Seller
What gazumping is, the legal position in England and Wales, and how to handle situations where you receive a higher offer after accepting one.
Common Problems · 10 minWhat to Do If Your Buyer Pulls Out
Your options if a buyer withdraws before exchange, including remarketing, seeking compensation, and preventing it happening again.
Common Problems · 10 minBoundary Disputes When Selling a House
How boundary disputes affect a property sale, what you must disclose, and how to resolve disputes before or during the sale process.
Common Problems · 10 minJapanese Knotweed: How It Affects Selling Your Property
What Japanese knotweed means for your sale, disclosure requirements, treatment options, and whether buyers can still get a mortgage.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Damp: What You Need to Know
How damp issues affect your sale, whether to fix them before selling, and what buyers and surveyors will look for.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Subsidence: A Seller's Guide
How to sell a property with a history of subsidence, what buyers need to know, and how it affects insurance and mortgages.
Common Problems · 12 minRestrictive Covenants When Selling a House
What restrictive covenants are, how they appear on your title, and what to do if a covenant could affect your sale.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with an Outstanding Mortgage
How selling works when you still have a mortgage, including redemption figures, early repayment charges, and negative equity scenarios.
Common Problems · 10 minParty Wall Issues When Selling a House
How the Party Wall Act affects your sale, what to disclose about past or ongoing party wall matters, and getting the right notices in place.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Planning Permission Refused
How a refused planning application affects your property's saleability and value, and what to disclose to prospective buyers.
Common Problems · 8 minChain Collapse: What to Do When Your Property Chain Breaks
How to respond when a chain collapses, your options for keeping the sale alive, and strategies for preventing chain-related problems.
Common Problems · 10 minBuyer's Mortgage Declined: What Happens Next?
What to do when your buyer's mortgage application is refused, how long to wait, and when to remarket your property.
Common Problems · 8 minDown Valuation: What Are Your Options as a Seller?
What happens when the mortgage valuation comes in below the agreed price, and the options available to both seller and buyer.
Common Problems · 10 minSlow Solicitor: What to Do When Conveyancing Drags
How to chase a slow solicitor, when to escalate complaints, and whether switching solicitors mid-transaction is practical.
Common Problems · 10 minMissing Title Deeds: How to Sell Without Them
What to do if your original title deeds are lost, how to get replacements from the Land Registry, and selling unregistered land.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Sitting Tenants
How to sell a property with tenants still living in it, your legal obligations, and whether to sell with vacant possession.
Common Problems · 10 minAsbestos in Your House: How It Affects Selling
What to do if your property contains asbestos, your disclosure obligations, and whether removal is necessary before selling.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling an Underpinned House: What Buyers Need to Know
How previous underpinning affects your property's value and saleability, insurance challenges, and what to prepare for buyers.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Woodworm
How active or historic woodworm affects your sale, what treatment is needed, and what to disclose.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Mould
How mould problems affect your sale, what buyers will ask, and how to resolve issues before listing.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Structural Cracks
How to distinguish structural from cosmetic cracks, what surveys reveal, and how cracks affect your sale.
Common Problems · 12 minSelling a House with Rising Damp
How rising damp affects your sale, what damp surveys show, and treatment options for sellers.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Wet Rot
How wet rot affects your property sale, the difference from dry rot, and what repairs buyers expect.
Common Problems · 12 minSelling a House with Lead Pipes
How lead plumbing affects your sale, what to disclose, and whether to replace before listing.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Electrical Issues
How outdated or faulty electrics affect your sale, what certificates help, and when to rewire.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Drainage Problems
How drainage issues affect your sale, what drainage surveys reveal, and your disclosure obligations.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with a Single Skin Extension
How a single-brick extension affects your sale, what buyers and lenders think, and your options.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with a Flat Roof
How flat roof sections affect your sale, what surveys check, and when to replace before selling.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Cavity Wall Insulation Problems
How failed or inappropriate cavity wall insulation affects your sale and what options you have.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Artex Ceilings
How artex ceilings containing asbestos affect your sale and what options you have.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House Near Power Lines
How proximity to power lines or pylons affects your sale price and buyer interest.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House Near a Railway Line
How railway noise and vibration affect your sale, and how to present the property positively.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House on a Busy Road
Tips for selling a property on a main road, including noise, safety, and pricing considerations.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Shared Access
How shared driveways, paths, or access points affect your sale and what buyers need to know.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House on an Unadopted Road
How an unadopted road affects your sale, who is responsible for maintenance, and what buyers ask.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Aluminium Wiring
How aluminium wiring affects your sale, what insurers think, and whether to rewire before listing.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House Near a Landfill Site
How proximity to a landfill affects your sale, what environmental searches reveal, and buyer concerns.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with High Radon Levels
How radon test results affect your sale, what mitigation costs, and your disclosure obligations.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House on Contaminated Land
How contaminated land affects your sale, what environmental reports show, and buyer concerns.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with a Flooding History
How a history of flooding affects your sale, insurance, and what you must disclose to buyers.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a Timber Frame House
How timber frame construction affects your sale, mortgage availability, and what surveys check.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a Non-Standard Construction House
How non-standard construction affects mortgage availability and what sellers need to prepare.
Common Problems · 12 minSelling a House with Bats
How a bat roost affects your sale, your legal obligations, and how to manage the situation.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with a Rodent Problem
How mice or rat infestations affect your sale, what to disclose, and treatment options.
Common Problems · 9 minSelling a House Next to Noisy Neighbours
What you must disclose about noise complaints and how neighbour issues affect your sale.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Missing Guarantees
What to do when you cannot find building work guarantees and how it affects your sale.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with a Retaining Wall
How retaining walls affect your sale, who is responsible, and what buyers will check.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Chimney Problems
How chimney defects affect your sale, what surveys flag, and repair options for sellers.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Foundation Problems
How foundation defects beyond subsidence affect your sale, including underpinning and heave.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House Where the DPC Has Failed
How a failed damp proof course affects your sale, what surveys show, and remediation options.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Condensation Problems
How condensation affects your sale, the difference from damp, and how to address it before listing.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House in a Mining Subsidence Area
How coal or other mining subsidence affects your sale, what searches reveal, and insurance issues.
Common Problems · 11 minSelling a House with Cladding Issues
How external wall cladding issues affect house sales, not just flats, and what to check.
Common Problems · 11 minWhat Happens After a Buyer's Survey on Your Property
What to expect after your buyer's surveyor has visited, how survey results affect the sale, and how to respond to findings.
Common Problems · 10 minCommon Survey Issues That Delay House Sales
The most frequent problems surveyors find, how each one affects your sale timeline, and what you can do about them.
Common Problems · 12 minRights of Way and Easements: What Buyers Will Ask
What rights of way and easements mean for your property sale, how they appear on the title, and what buyers and solicitors check.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a Property with an Easement Across It
How an easement across your land affects the sale, what buyers need to know, and how to handle common easement issues.
Common Problems · 10 minRoof Problems Found in Survey: Repair or Reduce Price?
What to do when the buyer's survey finds roof defects, typical repair costs, and how to decide between fixing the issue or adjusting the price.
Common Problems · 10 minBoiler Issues in Buyer's Survey: What to Expect
How boiler problems flagged in a survey affect your sale, typical costs, and whether to repair or reduce the price.
Common Problems · 8 minDry Rot Found When Selling: Cost and Implications
What dry rot means for your house sale, how much treatment costs, and how to handle the buyer's concerns.
Common Problems · 10 minHomebuyer's Report vs Full Building Survey: What They Check
The differences between a RICS Level 2 and Level 3 survey, what each covers, and what the findings mean for your sale.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House with Flood Risk in South Yorkshire
Yorkshire has 64,600 properties at high flood risk. What sellers in Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, and York need to know about disclosure and insurance.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling a House With No Central Heating: What to Expect
You can sell a house without central heating, but expect 5–15% lower offers. See how it affects EPC ratings, mortgage approvals, and buyer demand.
Common Problems · 9 minSelling With a Shared Septic Tank: Legal Guide 2026
Selling a house with a shared septic tank? You need to prove compliance with 2020 general binding rules and clarify maintenance agreements.
Common Problems · 10 minSurvey Found Damp: What Sellers Need to Do Next
What to do when a buyer’s survey flags damp in your property. Types of damp, getting specialist reports, TA6 disclosure, and negotiation tactics.
Common Problems · 11 minSurvey Found Japanese Knotweed: A Seller’s Action Plan
What to do when Japanese knotweed is found during a survey. Treatment plans, insurance-backed guarantees, mortgage implications, and TA6 disclosure.
Common Problems · 11 minSurvey Found Asbestos: What It Means for Your Sale
How asbestos findings in a survey affect your sale. Management vs removal, common locations, costs, and your disclosure obligations.
Common Problems · 11 minSurvey Found Subsidence: A Seller’s Guide to Next Steps
What to do when a survey reveals subsidence. Certificate of Structural Adequacy, insurance, monitoring, underpinning, and disclosure obligations.
Common Problems · 12 minElectrical Issues on Survey: EICR, Rewiring and Your Options
What to do when a survey flags electrical issues. EICR explained, Part P regulations, consumer unit upgrades, rewiring costs, and impact on your sale.
Common Problems · 11 minSurvey Retention: What It Is and How It Affects Your Sale
What mortgage retentions are, when lenders impose them after a survey, common triggers, how to get a retention released, and the impact on completion.
Common Problems · 10 minSurvey Delaying Your House Sale: Causes and Solutions
Common causes of survey delays, solutions for each, when to chase, impact on your chain, and when delays become a red flag.
Common Problems · 10 minTitle Defects When Selling: Common Issues, Their Impact and How to Fix Them
Title defects are a leading cause of sale collapse. The most common defects, how they’re spotted, and the practical options for resolving them.
Common Problems · 12 minMissing Seller on the Title: How to Sell When a Registered Proprietor Is Absent or Deceased
What to do when a registered owner can’t sign the transfer — deceased, missing, or estranged. A complete walkthrough of your options.
Common Problems · 10 minRestrictive Covenant Breach When Selling: What to Do
A breach of a restrictive covenant is one of the most common title issues flagged during conveyancing. What counts as a breach, how to fix it, and when indemnity insurance works.
Common Problems · 10 minSelling Unregistered Land: First Registration and the Sale Process
Unregistered property can still be sold, but the process relies on paper deeds and triggers compulsory first registration. What to expect and how long it takes.
Common Problems · 10 minPossessory Title: Selling With It or Upgrading to Absolute First
Possessory title is HM Land Registry’s weakest class of registered freehold title. What it means for a sale, how it differs from absolute, and when to upgrade.
Common Problems · 10 min
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