While gross mortgage lending increased in September, it was still down 27% year-on-year, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Gross mortgage lending totalled an estimated £12.5 billion in September, a 2% rise from the £12.3 billion in August.
Gross lending in the third quarter of 2009 was an estimated £38.9 billion, an 18% increase from the second quarter and down 36% from the third quarter of last year.
CML economist Paul Samter said: “House buying activity is running at considerably higher levels than around the turn of the year. However