There are more signs of recovery in the Dutch housing market, with 8,905 houses changing hands in January, according to figures from land registry office Kadaster.

This is up from 6,260 a year ago but still well below the 13,671 house sales recorded in January 2006, the Kadaster figures show.

However, the 42% January-on-January rise has been distorted by mortgage rule changes which came into effect in 2013, prompting buyers to sign off their deals in December instead.

House sales were up in all parts of the country, led by Zeeland where the increase was 89%. The rise was smallest in Flevoland at 22%.