House prices in areas affected by Southern train disruptions are beginning to take a hit from continuous delays, cancellations and strike action, while commuters living along the line are being forced to move closer to London to escape the "nightmare", experts have said.

Estate agents have flagged that regular industrial action on the line, coupled with a generally poor service, has led to a "hiatus" in the housing market along affected Southern routes.

Adrian Gill, executive director at Your Move and Reeds Rains, said: "If there's a hiatus in activity, that means there's less competition for houses, so you're likely to achieve a lower price for your property than you otherwise might.

"This is especially the case if you're trying to sell quickly."

The latest chapter in the long-running dispute has seen Southern workers commence a five-day strike, causing travel misery for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

YESTERDAY: Hundreds of trains cancelled as Southern staff begin five-day strike

Some parts of Surrey and Sussex will have no trains at all because of the industrial action.

But even without the strikes, commuters have faced consistent delays along two main routes from London Victoria and London Bridge towards Brighton.

Jonathan Hudson, director of Hudsons Property, said that the travel misery is even causing some to desert the commuter belt.

He said: "There has been a spike in people looking to buy a pied-a-terre in central London because of the disruption. People living on the Southern line are looking to rent or buy, depending on their circumstances, because it's just a nightmare at the moment."

Mr Hudson added that there is "no doubt that good transport links into London are good for house prices, and it works the other way too".