House sales up, says taxman
HOUSE sales in the UK lifted over the summer despite the downturn, according to figures released yesterday by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Sales of residential properties costing more than £40,000 rose from 80,000 in August to 82,000 in September.
And sales in the three months to the end of September were 11 per cent higher than in the previous quarter.
But the total number of transactions for the year to date is still 21 per cent down on the same period last year.
The news comes just a day after the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said there had been a rise in summer lending. But gross mortgage lending for September fell 27 per cent compared to the same period a year ago.
Activity is creeping back into the market as buyers take advantage of falling house prices.
But the rise in house sales has led to a surge in complaints to the Property Ombudsman, which have jumped by 17 per cent.