UK housing market slowdown eases slightly in June, RICS survey shows

A June survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) indicates that Britain’s housing market downturn has softened modestly. The headline house‑price balance remained at -33%, unchanged from the previous month, while the measure of new buyer enquiries improved to -29%, the least negative reading since February. Near‑term sales expectations recovered to -16% from a March low of -34%, and the 12‑month sales outlook is broadly flat at +1%. Price expectations rose to +8% for the coming year, up from +6%.

In the rental sector, tenant demand rose to +18%, the strongest level since May 2025, although landlord instructions stayed negative at -18%. Rents are projected to increase by about 2.5% over the next 12 months. RICS warned that sentiment remains fragile, citing ongoing uncertainty over inflation, borrowing costs and domestic political developments despite the Bank of England leaving interest rates unchanged. "Until there is greater clarity over both the political backdrop and the path of interest rates, housing market activity is likely to remain relatively subdued in the near term," said Tarrant Parsons, head of market and analysis at RICS.

Regional price trends continue to diverge, with the South East and South West showing more negative movements than the UK average, while Northern Ireland and Scotland remain comparatively more positive.