You’ve found your dream home. The survey’s done. Your solicitor has the searches back. Everyone’s ready to exchange contracts.
And then someone in the chain pulls out.
In our earlier article on delayed completion, we looked at what happens when things go wrong after contracts are exchanged. But what about when the chain breaks before you get to that crucial moment?
In our earlier article on delayed completion, we looked at what happens when things go wrong after contracts are exchanged. But what about when the chain breaks before you get to that crucial moment?
The Chain That Nearly Was
Let’s revisit our friends from the delayed completion article. You’ll remember Ms Scarlett, Professor Plum, Reverend Green, and Dr Black, a group of strangers all trying to move home in one interconnected chain:
Ms Scarlett (a first-time buyer) is going to buy Professor Plum’s house. Professor Plum is buying Reverend Green’s property. Reverend Green is purchasing Dr Black’s home. Everyone’s dependent on everyone else.
This time, though, something goes wrong before they exchange contracts.
Ms Scarlett’s mortgage lender does a final credit check just before releasing the funds. A missed payment on a credit card from six months ago – one she’d forgotten about – shows up on her file. She had a mortgage offer in principle, and the lender withdraws her mortgage offer.
In an instant, the entire chain freezes. Ms Scarlett can’t buy from Professor Plum. Professor Plum can’t buy from Reverend Green. Reverend Green can’t buy from Dr Black. Four households, four sets of moving plans – all suddenly thrown into limbo.
Why Chain Breaks Are Different To Delayed Completion
Here’s the crucial difference from our delayed completion scenario: until contracts are exchanged, nobody is legally bound to proceed. No contracts are broken.
In the delayed completion article, contracts had been exchanged. Professor Plum could claim compensation from Ms Scarlett for her late completion. There were contractual remedies, legal obligations, financial consequences.
But before exchange? There’s nothing. No contract, no obligation, and no way anyone could recover costs.
Professor Plum has paid for surveys and searches. Reverend Green has paid legal fees. Dr Black has arranged removal vans. None of them can recover a penny from Ms Scarlett, because she never signed a contract promising to complete the purchase. She was simply working towards it.
How Common Are Chain Breaks?
Unfortunately, broken property chains are increasingly common. Around one in three property transactions fall through before completion (Quick Move Now, 2025).
The most frequent reasons include:
- Mortgage problems. Credit checks fail, employment changes, or lenders simply change their lending criteria.
- Survey issues. Structural problems emerge. Japanese knotweed comes to light. The valuation is reduced. Suddenly, the buyer needs to renegotiate or walk away.
- Life happens. Job relocations fall through. Relationships break down. Someone simply gets cold feet about the expensive commitment they’re making.
- Problems further down the chain. This is the cruellest version. Everything’s fine with your transaction, but your buyer’s buyer pulls out, so your buyer can’t proceed, so you can’t proceed either.
What Happens Next?
When Ms Scarlett’s mortgage fell through, everyone in the chain had to make difficult decisions.
Professor Plum has two options: wait and see if Ms Scarlett can sort out her mortgage, or put his property back on the market and start again. Either way, he’s out of pocket for the survey and legal work he’s already paid for.
Reverend Green and Dr Black are stuck waiting. They’ve done nothing wrong, but their transactions are frozen because of something that happened two links down the chain. This is why being higher up a chain can be so frustrating – you have less control over whether things proceed.
Can My Property Chain Be Saved?
Sometimes, yes, your property chain can be saved. It helps if you have an experienced conveyancing solicitor working with you.
Ms Scarlett might find a different lender, or amend her credit report to make her a more attractive borrower. Professor Plum might find a new buyer quickly. Reverend Green might agree to a short delay while things are sorted out. With good communication and everyone acting reasonably, chains can be repaired.
But keeping a chain on track can require patience, flexibility, and – crucially – keeping everyone informed. This is where Cunningtons excels. We don’t just wait for things to resolve themselves. We actively manage the situation, explore alternatives, and keep all parties talking.
How to Protect Yourself
While you can’t eliminate the risk of chain breaks entirely, you can reduce your exposure:
- Make sure your mortgage is fully approved early. Don’t rely on an agreement in principle. If Ms Scarlett had waited for her full mortgage offer before making an offer on Professor Plum’s property, the lender’s concerns about her credit score might have surfaced sooner – or been resolved before everyone else committed time and money to their moving processes.
- Choose your position in the chain wisely. Being a first-time buyer like Ms Scarlett usually makes you attractive because you have nothing to sell. But it also means your transaction depends entirely on your mortgage. Being chain-free as a buyer or seller significantly reduces the risk for everyone.
- Move towards exchange quickly. The longer you spend in that pre-exchange limbo, the more opportunity there is for circumstances to change. Once you exchange, you move into the territory covered by our delayed completion article – where everyone has legal rights and remedies.
- Instruct efficient solicitors. At Cunningtons, we work proactively to identify and resolve issues before they derail transactions. We chase outstanding matters, communicate clearly with all parties, and can advise you honestly about the strength of your chain.
- Consider chain break insurance. These policies won’t stop a chain from breaking, but they can cover your costs if it does, such as surveys, searches, legal fees, and temporary housing. It won’t compensate you for your stress or lost time, but at least you’re not financially penalised for someone else’s change of circumstances.
The Importance of Exchange
This is why exchange of contracts is such a significant moment in property transactions. It’s the point where everything changes from the theoretical to the actual.
Before exchange: there are no obligations, no compensation, everyone walks away empty-handed if things go wrong.
After exchange: the chain has entered the realm of legally binding contracts, deposits paid, clear remedies if someone fails to complete on time.
Reaching ‘exchange of contracts’ is the single most important milestone in your property transaction. Everything before it is provisional. Everything after it is contractually enforceable.
What Cunningtons Property Solicitors Can Do for You
We understand that chain breaks are one of the most frustrating aspects of property transactions. You’ve invested time, money, and emotional energy, and through no fault of your own, it can all fall apart.
Our conveyancing team works to:
- Identify potential weak points in your chain before they become problems;
- Conduct thorough due diligence early so issues are spotted when there’s still time to address them;
- Maintain clear, regular communication with all parties to build trust and goodwill;
- Chase outstanding matters proactively to keep momentum going;
- Advise you honestly about the risks and help you make informed decisions; and
- Work efficiently to get you to exchange as quickly as possible.
And if your chain does break? We help you understand what happened, advise on whether the transaction can be rescued, and guide you on the best next steps – whether that’s finding a new buyer, waiting for circumstances to change, or starting afresh with a different property.
For expert conveyancing support that works to get you to exchange and completion, contact your nearest branch of Cunningtons today for a quotation. We have branches in Braintree, Brighton, Chelmsford, Croydon, Hastings, Hornchurch and Wickford.
We’re here to guide you through the uncertainties and get you safely to completion.