More than one in three home purchases have fallen through in the last 12 months, with potential buyers typically ending up £2,000 out of pocket.
According to data from online property platform Smoove, 34 per cent of property transactions did not ultimately end up going ahead.
The problem may stem from a crowded housing market with lots of competition, as the research also revealed that new property searches from would-be buyers were up 36 per cent year on year.
The figure climbs to 54 per cent for first-time buyers, according to the firm's inaugural Home Movers Report.