Croydon is bucking the national trend for house repossessions, the latest figures have shown.

According to the Ministry of Justice, Croydon has seen a six per cent reduction in repossessions in the 12 months from January to December 2008 compared with a 50 per cent average increase across the UK.

While during the 12 months of 2007 there were 2,332 mortgage company led repossessions, in 2008 there were only 2,211.

Similarly, both Lambeth and Bromley have also seen a reduction in the amount of houses being taken back by the bank.

Townsends Estate Agents senior manager, Diane Armstrong said: “We have not seen a massive change in the amount of repossessed properties come on our books, it has stayed pretty level.

“I think the national media is looking across the board but Croydon seems to be doing alright in terms of houses being taken back by the banks.

“I don’t know why this is but I’d say statistics will probably show an increase in the next four to five months.”

Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, said: “Whilst every extra repossession is to be regretted, there is a real need to maintain some perspective in regard to these figures.

"The scenario we currently face in relation to repossessions is no worse than during the recession of the early 1990s, when there was even less protection for the consumer.

“The inconvenient truth for Gordon Brown is that this is yet another example of how the Government’s failure to immediately recognise the severity of the economic situation, leading to a piecemeal approach which has been an unmitigated failure.

"But with the Budget coming up, it’s clear that there is a real opportunity to get the property market and the economy back on track and to help Britain’s families keep their homes.”