The beginning of this year has been the busiest ever start to a new year for Rightmove.

It says that website visits are 30 per cent higher from 2 January to 8 January 2021 than in the same time period last year.

The numbers of people making contact with estate agents concerning the purchasing of a property are 11 per cent higher than the first week of 2020, and for those looking to rent a property, up 22 per cent, Rightmove adds.

This “gives hope” to people planning to put their property on the market, it says, even though the stamp duty holiday deadline is approaching fast and the new lockdowns that have occurred in England and Scotland.

Rightmove director of property data Tim Bannister says: “January is usually one of our busiest months of the year as people start to make new year plans to move, as was the case at the start of last year when we also had the post-election bounce that gave hope of an active spring market, before that all changed with the temporary closure from March until May.

“We didn’t know how this year would start with so much change and uncertainty around restrictions, but it’s been reassuring for those people hoping or needing to move that the demand we’ve seen so far is the highest we’ve ever had in January.”