British housebuilders received a Budget boost today after Chancellor George Osborne delivered a raft of measures to help Britons get on the housing ladder.

The UK’s largest estate agency chain today confirmed it had received a preliminary takeover approach from an unnamed suitor.

Britain’s largest estate agency business today said it was currently losing money after a further “marked deterioration” in the housing market.

British estate agency group Countrywide provided firm evidence of a cooling in the UK's housing market today after arranging 25% fewer sales in July than a year ago.