The average asking price of a house in the UK fell by 0.4% this month, according to a survey by property website Rightmove.

The 0.4% decline in June ended four successive months of rising prices by sellers, but asking prices have risen 4% since the start of the year.

Despite this growth and recent data from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors showing that new buyer enquiries increased for seven consecutive month in May, Miles Shipside of Rightmove warned that the market is still volatile.

"While conditions are much improved on the darkest days of last year, we are not starting to see some big distortions and wild swings due to the combined effects of recession and restricted mortgage availability," said Mr Shipside.