Delays are very common and should be expected when purchasing off-the-plan. When a sales representative gives you a development completion date, this is essentially a calculated guess. There are numerous unforeseeable factors that can slow down the completion of your purchase, including delays with building works, slow sales or delays in obtaining finance, achieving compliance with the relevant authorities, even just bad weather. The predicted settlement time is not something you should rely on, especially if you are planning to move in to the property or sell your current home.