Mortgage requests rose 50% to 225,804 in 2014, the mortgage data network HDN said on Tuesday.

December alone saw an increase of 50% to 28,938 compared with the year earlier period. An ‘all time high’, according to the HDN.

The organisation said the rise could be the result of changes to the rules which came in on January 1 and which mean house buyers can borrow less money.

However, with the low interest rate, which is expected to fall further this year, it can often be more attractive to buy rather than rent a home.