Both OnTheMarket and Zoopla have reported record levels of traffic in January.

OTM, now two years old, reports over 11.2m visits, an increase of 85% year on year.

Zoopla has reported 53m visits, with mobile traffic at a record share of 72%.

OTM chief executive Ian Springett said: “This latest milestone is a fantastic achievement given that the portal has been live for just two years. It is a great start to 2017.

“We came into being to challenge and inject competition into a marketplace heavily dominated by two powerful portal businesses.

“We have already made considerable progress and are as committed as ever to our long-term objective of creating a superior alternative search service for consumers and agents alike.”

Zoopla also said it delivered a record number of appraisal leads to agents in January, up 73% year on year with the value of these leads estimated to be worth over £50m in fees to agents. It said the figure smashed all previous figures for a single month.

Mark Goddard, managing director of ZPG’s property division, said: “This is a great start to the year for both the business and the property market. The numbers demonstrate that we continue to deliver incredible exposure, value and results for our partners.”