House purchase lending has fallen to an eleven month low, as demand slows among home-movers, according to the latest Mortgage Monitor from e.surv, the UK’s largest chartered surveyor.

There were 61,202 house purchase approvals in May 2014, 3% lower than in April and the lowest number since 59,260 in June 2013, after house purchase lending fell for the fourth consecutive month in May.

Since the start of the year, house purchase approvals have fallen 19%, with 14,600 fewer loans in May than in January 2014. However, on an annual basis, May saw a marginal increase in lending, with only 4% more house purchase approvals than in May 2013, when there were 59,075.

Richard Sexton, director of e.surv chartered surveyors, explains: “The mortgage market is losing some steam and undergoing a gentle cooling, as demand begins to simmer among homeowners. Uncertainty is one factor affecting home-movers. Some buyers are waiting to see if the market will begin to plateau before agreeing to pay the high price tag on new property…MMR triggered the beginning of the slowdown.”