Property transaction fall-through rates have decreased across most UK regions during the first quarter of 2026, despite ongoing economic uncertainty affecting the housing market.
The national fall-through rate declined from 24% to 23.7%, representing a 0.3 percentage point reduction, according to data firm TwentyEA. The decrease was recorded in 10 of 13 regions analysed.
Regional variations
Northern Ireland recorded the largest improvement, with fall-through rates dropping by 11.1 percentage points, followed by Scotland at 6.3 percentage points and Wales at 5.7 percentage points. Inner London diverged from the national trend, with rates rising from 24.6% to 27%.
Stuart Ducker, Strategic Solutions Director at TwentyEA, stated: “Global disruption can and will weigh on the UK property market. The good news is that so far, we’re not seeing a huge impact from the conflict in the Middle East.”
He noted some cooling in London and the South East as fixed mortgage rates returned above 5%, creating challenges for borrowers. The findings come as estate agencies navigate broader market uncertainty.
Transaction timeline analysis
The data reveals that 38% of all fall-throughs occur within the first four weeks following agreement of sale. The highest-risk period is weeks one and two, accounting for nearly 16% of collapsed transactions. After week 12, the weekly share of fall-throughs drops below 3% and continues declining.
Sales agreed in 2026 are running 3.3% below 2025 levels, which TwentyEA attributes to the previous year’s Stamp Duty holiday creating elevated comparison figures.
Financial impact
Earlier analysis by Rightmove indicated that fall-throughs cost estate agencies nearly £392 million in potential revenue across England last year. The modest reduction in fall-through rates may provide some relief for agents operating in challenging conditions, though industry professionals continue to face multiple operational pressures.
Ducker described the 0.3 percentage point decline as “modest, but still meaningful for agents operating in a challenging market.”
