Halifax figures for September show eighth consecutive month-on-month drop

UK house prices fell 1.3% in September, taking the annual fall to 12.4%, according to new figures from Halifax.

The mortgage lender said the cost of the average home in the UK now stood at 拢172,108 after the eighth consecutive month-on-month drop.

It said three month comparison figures suggested the rate of decline was beginning to stabilise but the market would remain 鈥渃hallenging鈥.

Halifax chief economist Martin Ellis said: 鈥淭he ongoing pressures on householders鈥 income, combined with the reduction in the availability of mortgage finance mean that market conditions will remain challenging.鈥

Ellis welcomed the Bank of England鈥檚 move to cut interest rates by 0.5% on Wednesday, saying it would provide 鈥渧aluable support to the housing market鈥.