Brexit and the run-up to Christmas have combined to slow the Yorkshire housing market, according to local estate agents.

The latest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed the Yorkshire housing market remained flat during November with only 9% of respondents in the region reporting a rise in sales compared with 19% in October. Just 8% reported an increase in prices last month against 24% in October.

The level of new buyer enquiries continued to fall in November along with the number of instructions to sell. However, the slower pace of sales meant stocks of houses on estate agents’ books were broadly steady at an average of 48 homes per agent.

Chris Jowett, of Jowett Chartered Surveyors in Huddersfield town centre, said: “Brexit is stagnating the local housing market and needs to be resolved as soon as possible.

“Confidence is being eroded and this could cause house prices to drop significantly if the rate of economic growth continues to drop in the UK.”

Chris Jowett of Jowett Chartered Surveyors, Huddersfield

Peter Green, of Brearley Greens, which operates across Huddersfield and Halifax, said: “The Christmas period and winter weather has started and will, as usual, have a negative effect on house sales. Instructions and buyer interest always tends to lessen until into the New Year.”

The survey suggested activity would continue to be affected by the continued shortage of new instructions and general economic uncertainty. Almost half of agents said they were carrying out fewer appraisals of properties than a year ago with only 15% reporting an increase.

Letting agents in the region reported an increase in interest from prospective tenants for the first time in four months with 21% more respondents reporting a rise in tenant demand for rental property in November. However, new landlord instructions failed to pick up last month.

Almost a third of agents expect a rise in rents over the coming months due to rising demand and a fall in the number of properties for rent.