House prices in the UK countryside have risen at a faster right than those in central London this year so far, according to Knight Frank.

UK house price growth in the countryside has overtaken that of the prime central London market, according to new research by Knight Frank.

The 0.9 per cent climb enjoyed by country house prices in the first three months of this year contrasted the sluggish 0.2 per cent growth experienced by the prime central London market, where home-buyers and sellers have been putting off important decisions ahead of next month's general election. 

“We have seen a surprisingly busy market over the first three months of 2015 in what is usually a quiet period before the traditional sales season kicks off around late April and early May,” said head of Knight Frank country, Rupert Sweeting.

The tight election race has no doubt played its part in the near-stagnant prime central London market, the firm said. Pre-election uncertainties include the proposed mansion tax on properties worth more than £2 million ($2.9 million).

Knight Frank also linked the slowdown at the upper-end of the London market to the new stamp duty rates introduced by UK chancellor George Osborne in his autumn statement – the rates now hit buyers above £937,500 the hardest. 

As for year-on-year performance, prices of homes worth between £2 million and £5 million grew just 1.6 per cent; this was half the growth experience by sub-£1 million properties. Meanwhile, prices of homes valued over £5 million slid 3.6 per cent.

More and more Londoners are looking to take advantage of the value gap between the city and country prime markets, according to Knight Frank, and the trickle through of demand from the capital into the country is expected to continue.

Last year, the number of Londoners registering their interest in buying a country home was 19 per cent higher than in 2013, and 32 per cent higher than 2012, according to the firm's prime country house index.