Why Smart Storage Businesses Should Target Broken Chains and Failed Moves

The homemover has always been a key audience for self-storage businesses. Some movers like to pack gradually and hire self-storage units to hold their belongings safely in the interim. Hoarders also benefit from storage facilities by decluttering their home prior to house viewings, making their property more appealing to buyers.

We’re sure these movers are top of your target list. But have you considered targeting those homemovers who have had sales fall through? There is a growing group of displaced and stressed movers who have lost their dream home, and this is where storage can step in. An eye-watering 296,204 properties fell through in 2024, and so far in the first half of 2025, there have been a staggering 159,990 fall throughs. The opportunity for self-storage businesses is huge.

Property chains are fragile, and it only takes one buyer to pull out, to cause the dominoes to fall and the whole chain to collapse. The longer the chain is, the more delicate it is. Now, picture those homeowners left in limbo. They have likely boxed up the majority of their personal items. They are left living in chaos with their belongings packed, nowhere to go, and no idea when they’ll be able to move. Stress is through the roof.

For those sellers who have had a buyer pull out, they face the prospect of more viewings, and a half-packed home isn’t the most appealing. Showing buyers an empty, tidy space is far better than rooms stacked with boxes. They’re unlikely to unpack at this point, so those boxes need a temporary home! In a stressful situation like this, convenience is key, and many strained movers will happily pay for storage that solves the problem quickly. With the average Time to Sell currently sitting at 80 days, they may need storage for weeks or even months until they secure a new buyer.

How can MoverAlerts help?

We know exactly where every homemover is in the moving journey. If a sale has fallen through, we know about it! We can help you to market to these homemovers. They’re ideal self-storage customers. You can come to the rescue and relieve these movers of their box-hell. Imagine the impact a leaflet titled ‘Sale fallen through?’ would have. Instantly, you’ll catch the attention of the homeowner. This is when you then highlight the advantages of hiring self-storage. Voila – new business heading your way.

Intentionally breaking the chain

While fall-throughs can be distressing, not all chain breaks are bad news for homemovers. Some sellers choose to break the chain intentionally by completing the sale of their home without having an onward purchase lined up. It’s a wise move in a challenging market where finding a buyer is difficult. In fact, our analysts found that only 55.5% of homes listed for sale actually go on to sell. That’s a striking reminder of how important it is to keep hold of a buyer once you have one.

These sellers often move in with friends and family or rent temporarily while searching for their next home. But this leaves them with one big issue - what to do with their belongings. That’s where self-storage becomes an essential part of the move.

How can MoverAlerts help?

We can help you market to properties that are at the Sold Subject to Contract (SSTC) stage. As well as offering storage as a solution to those looking to pack gradually, you can also highlight the benefits of breaking the chain, something some sellers may not have considered.

When marketing to this audience, share the stat on how many properties actually sell to demonstrate just how crucial it is to not lose an active buyer. This will particularly resonate if their property was tricky to sell in the first place and may spur them to consider chain-breaking.

Highlight the advantages of breaking the chain, such as:

• Emphasising just how delicate the chain is; it only takes one party to pull out to see the whole thing collapse

• It’s more attractive to the seller to be a chain-free buyer as you are less likely to cause delays, you can complete faster and be more flexible. This puts the homemover in a stronger position for negotiating with sellers, especially if they’re in a rush to sell

• When a house sale and purchase are no longer dependent on each other, the homemover is no longer subject to events beyond their control i.e., those lower down the chain pulling out or delaying the chain. Remind the homemover that in England and Wales, any party can withdraw at any point right up to the exchange of contracts

• Highlight how long it takes to complete a house from the SSTC stage. This is currently sitting at 125 days. These lengthy timescales lead to frustrated people and mortgage offers expiring, which can threaten the chain

• The homemover can find their dream home in their own time, without rushing

Storage becomes the ultimate stop-gap for those willing to break the chain. It offers stress-free moving and breathing room to find the perfect new home. It locks in the buyer and reduces the chance of fall throughs. What’s more, it allows the seller to move leisurely, spreading the move over time instead of doing it all on one high pressure day. This lightens the load. It also allows the buyer to deep clean their new property, without all their belongings being in the way.

When someone breaks a chain, often family and friends are open to offering a place to stay in the interim, but they won’t be so happy with having all their belongings coming along with them, so storage becomes essential. If the chain-breaker decides to rent instead, the rental may already be furnished, part-furnished or simply not large enough to hold all of their possessions. Storage becomes a valuable solution!

Conclusion

Buyers and sellers alike love nothing better than to hear the words ‘no chain.’ The reality is, of course, that often the homemover is at the mercy of a property chain. Chain breaks, whether the result of buyers pulling out or intentional, offer a clear opportunity for self-storage businesses.  MoverAlerts are here to help connect you with these homemovers to drive more business your way. Sound good? We’d love to talk to you about our self-storage leads and self storage marketing ideas.