What happens to a mortgage offer if a sale falls through?

Has your house sale fallen through after getting your mortgage approved? Find out what your options are in this handy guide.

Think carefully before securing debts against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Seeing your house move fall through at the last minute can feel like you have the worst luck in the world, but there are ways to ensure your hard efforts and spending don’t go to waste.

Will I need to restart the mortgage application process?

Not necessarily, although this will depend on your lender.

Most will let you transfer the application to a new property after they’ve assessed and valued it, as well as adjusted any figures before generating a new offer.

This doesn’t mean you won’t have to go through some of the same mortgage application processes again, but transferring a mortgage rather than applying for a new one often saves you some time with the paperwork and those tedious suitability questions.

Keep in mind that if your mortgage offer is close to expiring or if the application is taking some time to process, you may be asked to re-supply bank statements and payslips in order for the mortgage lender to assess your financial status at that time.

Do you have to pay solicitor fees if the sale falls through?

When you buy or sell a property, there are two types of costs you’ll need to pay to a conveyancer.

These include the costs to third parties, known as disbursements, and costs for the legal work carried out by your conveyancer.

More often than not, you’re still required to pay legal fees if your sale falls through, although this isn’t always the case.

Check the terms and conditions of your agreement with your conveyancer so you know which camp you’re in.

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.

More guides on Finder

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder.com provides guides and information on a range of products and services. Because our content is not financial advice, we suggest talking with a professional before you make any decision.

By submitting your comment or question, you agree to our Privacy and Cookies Policy and Terms of Use.

Questions and responses on finder.com are not provided, paid for or otherwise endorsed by any bank or brand. These banks and brands are not responsible for ensuring that comments are answered or accurate.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Go to site