Turnover of homes has drastically slowed over the last 30 years, new figures reveal.

As people stay longer in their homes, properties are now changing hands at an average of once every 19 years in England, compared with once every eight years in the eighties.

Homes now change hands least often – once every 22 years – in the north-east, and most often – every 16 years – in the south-east.

In London and the south-west, homes change hands every 17 years; in the east midlands, every 18 years; in the east of England and in Yorkshire and Humberside, every 19 years; in the west midlands, every 20 years, and in the north-west every 21 years.

The figures, from conveyancing firm My Home Move, are a far cry from the eighties when people moved home once every eight years.

However, My Home Move says that turnover times have improved over the last five years.

Across England as a whole, the time between house sales has fallen since 2010 from an average of once every 25 years.

The firm’s research used Land Registry data.