London and South East first-time buyers have found average property prices as high as 5.8 times salaries for some time, and those in the West Country fare even worse at nearly 6.3 times, but now average first-time buyers across the country need more that four time salary to get on the property ladder.

This makes house and flat prices too expensive for single first-time buyers in all regions of the UK except Scotland, according to research by salary database website PayFinder.com.

The salary database website found that house prices are now more than four times average earnings for first-time buyers everywhere except north of the Border.

Mortgage lenders will traditionally lend a single person 3.5 times their income to buy a property. So single first-time buyers are priced out says the report.

However, one or two lenders will loan more than this. Northern Rock recently announced they will now lend up to 5.2 times income, and Halifax and GMAC amongst others have also relaxed lending criteria.

The move has renewed fears of a housing market crash, said the Sunday Times money page this weekend, with people stacking up trouble by taking on massive loans at five or six times their salaries.

While mortgages are still affordable compared with the late 1980s, even small increases in interest rates could cause major problems for those whose finances are already stretched to the limit.

Only Scotland remains within easy reach of first time buyers’ salaries, says the PayFinder.com report, with first homes averaging £67, 293, just 3.43 times the average first-time buyer’s earnings.