House prices fell by 1.1 per cent during November to take the average cost of a property back below £160,000, Government figures showed.

The fall contributed to a drop in annual house price inflation, with prices rising by 9.7 per cent during the previous 12 months, compared with 12.1 per cent in the year to the end of October.

The average property in the UK cost £159,480 at the end of November.

Tuesday January 13, 2004