Home buying agency Spring has analysed which parts of the country have the dubious distinction of having the most rental homes with the lowest EPC grades.

Rented out homes in Cleethorpes (Lincolnshire), Barrow-in-Furness (Cumbria), Westcliff-on-Sea (Essex), Grimsby (Lincolnshire) and Accrington (Lancashire) have the worst ratings in the UK. 

Of the 683 landlord-owned homes in Cleethorpes, 80 per cent have a D-G rating; while in Barrow-in-Furness 1,067 (79 per cent) rented properties have the lower ratings. Seventy-two percent of Westcliff-on-Sea and Grimsby rental homes have D to G ratings, while Accrington stands at 71 per cent.

The government has advised landlords across England and Wales that by 2025 all rental properties will need an EPC rating of C or above. However, research reveals that only 53 per cent of all UK properties have a registered EPC and 58 per cent of those with a registered EPC are rated between categories D to G, meaning they are not as environmentally friendly.

Research suggests costs of up to £6,000 to upgrade a one-bedroom property from rating D to C, rising significantly for larger homes. 

Cormac Henderson, chief executive of Spring, comments: “A staggering amount of homes in the UK are not up to scratch in terms of energy performance, not only making them expensive to run but having a significant negative impact on the environment at a time when the climate crisis is front and centre of the global agenda. There appears to be a trend with a higher proportion of properties in the north having poorer energy efficiency.

“With many landlords already facing rising costs, many of which are passed onto tenants, they will have a decision to make as to whether the cost of upgrading their properties is worth it or consider exiting the market as many have suggested.”