Persimmon sees forward sales dip

House-building giant Persimmon has revealed a drop in forward sales and became the latest group to warn over rising build costs.

The firm said total forward sales revenues had fallen to £2.7 billion, from £2.8bn over the same period last year. Its weekly private sales rate fell 5 per cent in the four months of the year to date, as it was hit by changes in its marketing practices.