As if Southern Rail commuters were not having the best of times, with disruptions and delays on their journey to London, another expensive indignity has been heaped upon them.

So bad is the rail service that house prices have frozen or fallen as the Home Counties commuter towns look less attractive to potential city escapees.

Online estate agents HouseSimple.com said property price growth had come to a standstill along the Brighton Mainline, Mainline West and Mainline East routes since July.

Over the past year, prices have made a healthy rise – £21,106 – but since July and the start of the latest round of strikes by rail union RMT, average prices had fallen by almost £1,875.

The estate agent found only four locations along the routes it looked at – Hove, Pulborough, Haywards Heath and Gatwick Airport – where house prices have increased since July – but that’s just by £234 typically.

Alex Gosling, chief executive of HouseSimple.com, said: “It would be a real kick in the teeth if home owners, who have had to endure the daily misery of train delays, cancellations and strike action, started to see the value of their homes falling.”

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