The UK housing market showed a marked deterioration in March, as the RICS House Price Balance dropped to -23%, down from -14% in February 2026. The latest reading, updated on 08 April 2026, points to a stronger majority of surveyors now reporting price declines rather than increases across the country.
The nine‑percentage‑point fall over a single month underscores growing pressure on the residential property sector, with sentiment turning more negative among real estate professionals. While the data does not provide detail on regional performance or the drivers behind the shift, the deeper negative balance indicates that downward price momentum became more pronounced in March.
For investors and policymakers, the move further into negative territory will likely be watched closely as a potential signal of cooling demand, changing financing conditions, or broader economic uncertainty feeding through into the housing market.
