There are signs that the drought of new supply to the market could be easing.

Zoopla said that new listings have been rising in every region apart from London, where there is the lowest new supply for three years.

In Wales and Northern Ireland new listings are flat, but Zoopla’s research and insight director Richard Donnell said: “Generally speaking, the further you get from London, the more new listings are increasing.”

New instructions are also rising in the south-east and the east of England, he said.

New listings are also tending to be snapped up: “The percentage of active listings that is actually selling is rising,” said Donnell

The average estate agency branch in the UK currently has 45 active listings, but the regional variation is large – going from an average of 23 to an average of 57.

Zoopla is also cracking down on old listings left up by agents after they have sold or let.

Managing director Charlie Bryant said: “We are really tight on clamping down on this. We track all listings and where we find repeat offenders, we will suspend them.”