As high prices have pushed London renters out of central areas, demand has surged on the edge of Croydon including Purley and Coulsdon.

Data from property website Rightmove shows there has been a huge rise in property searches on the outskirts of London.

Coulsdon saw a 228 per cent increase in demand compared to a year ago while Purley saw a 115 per cent increase.

Estate agents in the area told the Local Democracy Reporting Service a two-bedroom flat in the area usually costs between £1,200 and £1,300 a month.

But some renters had to put in offers above the asking price when the market was at its most competitive.

One estate agent, working in the Coulsdon area, said demand went up after the Covid-19 lockdowns with renters seeking the “best of both worlds” with the area having easy access to the countryside and 20-minute journeys into central London.

But he said he was uncertain how things would play out in the coming months as to whether demand would increase or decrease with the cost of living crisis and uncertainty in the property market.

Mario Creatura who has been a councillor for the area for eight years said he isn’t surprised people are moving to Coulsdon from elsewhere in London.

He said: “It doesn’t surprise me at all that demand to live in Coulsdon has surged. It is a wonderful part of the world.

"We have fantastic connections into London and we are right on the doorstep of the beautiful North Downs.

“I do think that people who are looking for a flat or house or a couple raising a family would be delighted with what’s on offer in Coulsdon.

"We have a great high street with independent shops and good transport connections.

"It is why so many people live in Coulsdon for decades.”

Another Coulsdon councillor, Luke Shortland, said it’s “no wonder” renters are looking to move to the area.

He added: “It’s a really beautiful area with great schools and lots of fabulous green spaces.

"People also love the good mix of businesses and shops – you’ve got supermarkets like Aldi or Waitrose for a weekly shop but you’ve also got smaller independent businesses: everything from a pottery painting studio to a scented candle shop.”

One local estate agent, who asked not to be named, said while there has been major demand in the past year the competition for properties had dropped off in recent weeks with the downturn in the economy.

She said: “Over the last few weeks it has been disastrous, we are struggling with the stock that we’ve got at the moment.

"We are finding that not many people are enquiring about our properties and there have been more price reductions than ever before. Now we are pushing landlords to reduce their prices.”

She added that renters from more central areas of London are looking to areas like Coulsdon and Purley for cheaper places to live.