UK annual house prices rise at weakest pace since March, ONS says

LONDON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - British annual house prices rose at their weakest annual pace since March in August, according to official data published on Wednesday that also showed growth in average private rents held at its highest since the end of last year.

Annual house price inflation eased to 0.9% in August from 1.2% in July, the Office for National Statistics said.

Average rents increased by 3.8% year-on-year in September, the same pace as in August and the joint-strongest reading since December.

(Reporting by Suban AbdullaEditing by William Schomberg)