UK housing market is recovering more quickly than any other in the continental Europe, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said.

Largely, 5 European countries viz. Norway, the UK, Finland, Sweden and Austria reported rise in house prices in 2009.

Norway posted the highest increase in house prices at 12 per cent, followed by the UK where overall house prices soared 10 last year.

Reviving economies and low interest rates have prevented housing market meltdown across most of the European countries.

But, RICS added that house prices would continue to drop in vulnerable European economies.

Separately, experts have warned that Government plans to make homes more energy efficient in the UK through new "eco-loans" could hike property prices but the move would reduce the size of mortgages.

The Government has plans to provide eco-loans for eco-upgrades like installation of solar panels and heat pumps in houses.