Fall-through rates in the UK housing market declined slightly in the first quarter of 2026, with improvements recorded across most regions.

According to TwentyCi, the national fall-through rate – defined as the proportion of agreed sales that fail to complete – slipped from 24% in Q1 2025 to 23.7% in Q1 2026.

Ten of the UK’s 13 regions saw fall-through rates decline over the period. Northern Ireland recorded the largest improvement, down 11.1%, followed by Scotland (-6.3%) and Wales (-5.7%).

Inner London was the clear exception. Fall-through rates in the capital rose from 24.6% to 27%, meaning more than one in four agreed sales failed to reach completion. The rise follows the announcement of a proposed mansion tax in late 2025, which is understood to have weighed on buyer confidence, particularly at higher price points.

In absolute terms, the number of fall-throughs fell by 12.1%, from 76,814 in Q1 2025 to 67,489 in Q1 2026.

Colin Bradshaw, chief executive of TwentyCi, said: “While the overall decline in fall-through rates is modest, it’s still meaningful for agents operating in a challenging market.

“The regional variation is also notable, with some areas seeing significantly greater improvements than others.”

The report also highlights a consistent pattern in when transactions collapse. Around 38% of fall-throughs occur within the first four weeks after a sale is agreed, with weeks one and two alone accounting for just under 16%.

After 12 weeks, the likelihood of a deal falling through drops sharply, with weekly rates falling below 3%.

Bradshaw added: “What the data clearly shows is that the first four weeks after a sale is agreed are where the greatest risk sits. If a deal is going to fall through, it’s most likely to happen within that window.

“Proactive communication with all parties during those initial weeks remains best practice, and the data shows it’s where agents can have the greatest impact.”