PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk

Stop withdrawing out of property transactions without valid reason.

We ask to introduce accountability measures: If a property transaction drags on for 3 months without exchange of contracts, and one party withdraws without a valid reason, there should be financial or legal consequences. Valid reasons would be loss of employment or inability to secure a mortgage.

Last fetched 09 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk

Signatures

signatures

Government response threshold (10,000) · 7/10,000

Debate threshold (100,000) · 7/100,000

Background

It’s currently legal to withdraw from a property transaction before exchange of contracts, without facing any financial or legal consequences, unlike in Europe, Scotland, Australia, NZ, Canada and the US. This causes huge financial and emotional stress, including lost deposits, legal fees, and wasted time. This change would make property transactions fairer and more reliable, reducing wasted time, costs, and emotional distress for those genuinely committed to completing their purchase or sale.