House prices rose for the fifth month in a row in September and are now at the same level they were at a year ago, according to the Nationwide building society.

Prices rose by 0.9 per cent to an average of £161,816 over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis after a 1.4 per cent rise in August. House prices rose by 3.8 per cent in the third quarter compared with the second quarter, the fastest three-month increase since 2004.