The property market starts to decline as a huge fall in home sales and a drop in borrowing have shaken the economy. According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders sales fell down 13 percent last month on September last year.
All nine of the Bank of England's interest rate-fixing committee voted for a freeze this month as the decrease in housing market means there is no need for further rises.
"All the latest lending data reinforces evidence that the expected slowdown in the housing market is materializing. Remortgaging is holding up, but house purchase lending is slowing markedly. Data from other surveys corroborates the picture of an exceptional recent market that is now gently losing steam." Michael Coogan, CML director general, said.
Regional real estate observers said there had been some signs that agents and removals companies had been looking to cut their staffing, as people seeking to buy and sell houses declined.