The average cost of a home in England and Wales rose by 6.1% on the year to £190,275 in February, a slowdown from January’s 6.5% rise and down 0.2% on the month .
The on-year increase was led by the commuter towns of Slough, up 19%, Luton, up 17%, and Reading, up 14.6%. In London, prices rose by 13.5% on the year.
Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics showed rents rose by 2.6% on the year in February. The increase ranged from 3.8% in London to 0.9% in the northeast of England.
