Government figures showed that the number of house sales fell last month. The Inland Revenue said a total 112,000 property transactions were registered for stamp duty last month, the lowest level for 14 months. This is an 18% drop on December. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said interest rate rises up to August 2004 had caused a slump in activity in the second half of last year. However Inland Revenue figures related to home sales agreed three and four months previously with other analysts noting an increase in new year activity.