House prices fell slightly in August, but still showed a stabilising trend in recent months after the rapid declines seen throughout last year and earlier this year, according to data from the Land Registry.

House prices fell by 0.1 per cent to an average of just under £156,000, the first fall since April and a small slip following a 1.8 per cent rise in July, which was the biggest one month jump since 2004, the Registry reported.