Around a third of UK adults who bought or sold a home in the past three years were involved in a property chain, with 46% of them experiencing delays or transactions falling through, new data from Barclays Property Insights report shows.

Buyers and sellers typically budgeted £4,954 for third-party costs such as surveys and legal fees, but chain issues added an average of £2,127 to their expenses – 43% above their planned budget. Chain breakdowns were the leading cause of failed sales, cited by 22% of homeowners whose transactions did not complete.

Chain breakdowns were the leading cause of failed sales, cited by 22% of homeowners whose transactions did not complete.

Other factors included ‘gazumping’ (13%) and ‘gazundering’ (11%), while 15% admitted to trying one of these tactics themselves, resulting in a collapsed transaction.

The experience of chain-related problems has influenced future buying and selling behaviour. Around 28% of those previously in a chain say they will delay moving for as long as possible to avoid stress, 24% want to find a ‘forever home’ to stay put longer, 15% would only sell to cash or first-time buyers, and 13% would opt for a new-build property to avoid chains.

According to Barclays, semi-detached and detached homes continued to make up the majority of completions across most UK regions, reflecting both the composition of the housing stock and the preference for larger homes. Greater London is an exception, where flats accounted for 55.5% of completions due to higher prices and limited availability of houses. In Scotland, the distribution is more balanced, with flats representing 27.3% of purchases in January, above the national average of 11.8%.

House owners are more likely to believe their property has increased in value compared with flat owners. Around 78% of semi-detached owners and 75% of detached owners say they think their home has risen in value since purchase, compared with 58% of flat owners. Despite these perceived gains, monthly costs remain high. Utility spending increased 4.4% year-on-year in January, and 18% of homeowners report they are considering moving to a more energy-efficient home to reduce bills.

Barclays mortgage data shows the average UK deposit last month was £59,057, though slightly higher among first-time buyers, at £62,272. Deposit variation between regions is stark, reflecting local property prices, and ranging from a £36,161 on average in the North to over four times that in Greater London at £152,503.

In the capital, three in 10 renters (31%) cite cost of a deposit as one of the biggest barriers to homeownership, with property prices topping the list at 43%.

Though deposits remain a top concern, renters’ confidence in the prospect of homeownership has risen slightly, with 15% saying they believe they could buy a home within the next 12 months, compared with 12% in December. The number of renters who say they could not  buy without financial support from family has also eased to 52% from 59% in December 2025.

Jatin Patel, head of mortgages, savings and insurance at Barclays, said: “Movers often face battles on two fronts, as the abundance of long property chains adds acute stress into the process. The new build market can provide part of the solution, removing the chain links on the sell-side, but we also support reforms to modernise, digitise and ease the tension in the home-buying system.”

“The start of 2026 has shown encouraging signs for prospective buyers. Higher loan-to-value products have eased deposit requirements, with first-time buyers beginning to reap the benefits. However regional disparities underscore the importance of working with local brokers and to bring homeowners bespoke solutions for their needs.”

Julien Lafargue, chief market strategist at Barclays, added: “In addition to frictions in the process, the UK housing market has also to contend with a mixed macroeconomic picture. Growth slowed in the second half of 2025 and the UK labour market is still softening.

“That said, the consumer remains broadly resilient, suggesting that growth could rebound in 2026. As we look into the first half of the year, political uncertainty and key local elections scheduled for May could lead to a ‘wait and see’ approach for businesses and consumers alike.”

* List encompasses all completions, however table rows may appear not to add to 100% due to rounding