Why 72% of UK Home Movers Face Delays—and Estate Agents Aren't to Blame

Three-Quarters of Home Movers Report Transaction Delays

Nearly 72% of recent home movers in Great Britain experienced delays during their purchase, according to fresh research from We Are Unchained's latest Voice of the Agent report. The findings reveal a sector struggling with coordination rather than individual incompetence, with significant regional disparities in transaction timescales.

The average home move now takes 216 days from first listing to completion. Rightmove data shows the initial sale-to-agreement phase takes 62 days, whilst the legal process from sale agreed to completion stretches a further 154 days—a 36-day increase compared to 2019, representing a 31% deterioration.

Regional analysis exposes stark contrasts. London, the East Midlands, Wales and the North West all recorded delays affecting 78–80% of movers. Scotland performed markedly better, with only 43% experiencing hold-ups. These variations suggest local market conditions, conveyancing availability, or regulatory differences significantly impact transaction speed.

Conveyancers Bear the Brunt of Blame

When delayed movers identified a responsible party, 50% pointed fingers at their conveyancer or solicitor. A further 40% blamed the buyer or seller, whilst only 5% criticised the estate agent—offering vindication for high street professionals frequently accused of transaction failures.

However, the blame narrative masks a deeper fragmentation. Industry professionals remain fundamentally divided on remedies. Estate agents prioritise faster communication and proactive updates (33%), followed by shared case tracking (25%). Only 10% advocate integrated digital systems—a surprising finding given substantial investment in property technology platforms.

Conveyancers identify fundamentally different solutions. Twenty-three per cent emphasise better understanding of each profession's distinct roles, whilst 21% prioritise clearer client expectations. Only 13% champion faster communication. This professional misalignment suggests technologically-focused solutions may miss the mark.

Surveyors proved sceptical of all proposed interventions, with 29% stating no measure would materially improve outcomes. Mortgage professionals split evenly between faster communication and agreed service standards, each attracting 22% support.

Relationship Breakdown Stalls Progress

Trust metrics reveal concerning asymmetries. Whilst 67% of estate agents view their conveyancer relationships positively, only 50% of conveyancers reciprocate. Agent-surveyor relationships show similar imbalance: 54% of agents report positivity versus 44% of surveyors. These perceptual gaps indicate communication failures transcend technical barriers.

Simon Leadbetter, founder of We Are Unchained and Voice of the Agent author, articulated the core problem: "Everybody owns part of the property transaction, but nobody owns the transaction." Buyers and sellers experience one integrated home move, yet the four professions delivering it operate as separate silos, each optimising their own segment whilst fragmenting the customer journey.

Government and industry initiatives—including the Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap, Project 28, and digital data standards—focus largely on upfront information and technology integration. Yet the report argues these top-down solutions address symptoms rather than systemic coordination failures. The research emphasises improving inter-professional communication, clarifying roles, setting agreed service standards, and ensuring transaction visibility across all parties.

Alternative Routes Gain Traction

Auctions offer an emerging alternative. Almost half of agents (49%) recommend auctions regularly or occasionally, with a further 20% open to future recommendations. This means nearly 70% of agents either use auctions or would consider them—signalling growing acceptance of faster transaction routes for suitable properties.

The report concludes that reform must address "spaces between professions" as vigorously as individual processes. Making four separate transactions faster does not automatically create one superior home move. Instead, focused intervention on expectations, communication, role clarity, service standards and mutual visibility across conveyancers, agents, mortgage professionals and surveyors may unlock genuine improvements.

Investors and homebuyers seeking faster transactions might explore planning alert tools to identify development opportunities and BTL hotspot analysis for markets with stronger transaction fundamentals. The findings will be discussed at The Voice of the Agent Conference on 20 November 2026 at the University of Oxford.

Source: Property Industry Eye.