Lancaster tenants set to face one of highest fuel bills in UK

Property data and insight platform, Homesearch analysed rental properties across the UK, to uncover which areas have the best and worst Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings and will be the hardest hit financially.

Tenants in Lancaster are set to face one of the highest fuel bills in the coming months, with 72% of rental properties having a poor D-G EPC rating. Tenants across the North face similar worries with Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Carlisle helping to round out the top 10 worst locations to rent with fuel bills set to increase by up to 78% this autumn.

Conversely, London boroughs dominated the top 10 most eco-friendly rental areas to live. Those tenants living in the London borough of Tower Hamlets will experience the lowest energy bills nationally, with 72% of rental properties boasting an A-C rating. This is followed by Southwark (63%) and Islington (58%).

The picture nationally is equally as glum for tenants trying to juggle their personal finances during the energy price hikes facing the nation. Homesearch data found that 62% of rental properties in the UK are not energy efficient and have an EPC rating of D-G meaning they will be hardest hit by rocketing fuel bills.

Looking in depth, the following are the top 10 areas which have the worst EPC ratings for rental properties in the UK:

Least energy efficient (EPC rated D-G)

1 Blackburn – 78%

2 Llandudno – 74.7%

3 Blackpool – 74%

4 Llandrindod – 73.9%

5 Bradford – 73.3%

6 Huddersfield – 72.3%

7 Lancaster – 72%

8 Halifax – 71.9%

9 Carlisle – 71.7%

10 Shrewsbury – 71.6%

Sam Hunter, COO of Homesearch, said: “With rising inflation and the cost of living crisis set to worsen, over half of those renting in the UK will pay a premium for their energy usage simply due to the energy inefficiency of their home. Our data indicates a clear North-South divide in the environmental viability of rental accommodation and many households are going to struggle to pay energy bills through no fault of their own."