Surveyors have reported a 22nd consecutive month of declines in new instructions, the latest RICS Residential Market Survey reveals.

The research, covering 634 member branches, showed that around 10% more saw a fall rather than a rise in new instructions during November.

Respondents were also asked to compare the number of appraisals with the same period in 2016, with 49% noting they were lower and only 15% experiencing an increase.

Surveyors also reported that stock levels on estate agents’ books had held broadly steady at 44.7 on average during the month.

Around 10% more also reported a decline in sales during November, but looking ahead, 9% more expected an increase in activity over the next 12 months.

New buyer enquiries did show some improvement, with 5% more noting a decline, an improvement on 19% who saw a drop in October and 21% reporting a fall in September.

Nationally, most surveyors expected house prices to be flat over the next three months, but on a regional basis there was more confidence of increases in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

There was more positive sentiment over the next 12 months, with around 15% more anticipating price increases.

Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist for RICS, said: “It is perhaps not surprising that the headline indicators for both prices and activity are subdued as Christmas approaches.

“It remains to be seen whether the scrapping of Stamp Duty for first-time buyers announced in the Budget will provide much of a lift for the market.

“There was not much evidence of this in the latest survey, which was conducted after the change in policy, and while most independent analysis casts doubt on whether there will be much follow through, it is still early days.

“However, if the move does trigger a wider debate about how best to tax property, it will serve a useful role.”