Figures from TwentyEA reveal the time it takes UK home movers to reach exchange is over four months.
16th Dec 20250 436 1 minute read Simon Cairnes
Time taken to get to exchange across the UK has increased by over a third compared with 2019, adding to the risk of sales falling through and highlighting the urgency of the Government’s promised reforms, says Katy Billany (pictured), Executive Director of TwentyEA.
According to the property analytics firm, the average time to exchange is now 123 days or 4.1 months, which is two days more than in 2024.
The longest time to exchange is in Outer London and the East of England at 4.6 months, closely followed by Inner London at 4.2 months. The North-East is the best performing region in England at 3.6 months, while Scotland, with a different system, is only 2.9 months – the shortest time of all UK regions.
Billany says: “This underlines how local market conditions and legal-system differences remain major drivers of transaction speed. Nationwide, the average has crept up over recent years (from roughly 3.0 months in 2019 to about 4.1 months in 2025), confirming that the trend towards longer waits to exchange contracts is far from resolved.
“With many buyers waiting four months or more just to exchange, this extended timeline puts pressure on affordability, adds uncertainty for sellers and buyers alike, and magnifies the risk of fall-throughs, especially when interest rates or economic conditions shift partway through the process.
In our opinion, the MHCLG’s consultation, focused on reducing transaction timelines and costs for buyers, especially first-time buyers, cannot conclude fast enough.”
“In our opinion, the MHCLG’s consultation, focused on reducing transaction timelines and costs for buyers, especially first-time buyers, cannot conclude fast enough.
“As a group, TwentyCi has committed to Project 28, which aims to slash the time from ‘sale agreed’ to exchange from roughly 100+ days down to just 28, a major step toward reliability, transparency, and fewer failed sales.
“With this growing focus and industry momentum, we’re hopeful that steps toward meaningful change will begin to take shape as we move into 2026.”
Tagsconveyancing sales process reform 16th Dec 20250 436 1 minute read Simon Cairnes Share Facebook X LinkedIn Share via Email
