At least 18m homes have energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings of D or below, pushing up gas and electricity bills for homeowners and renters, while potentially putting off buyers, say Rightmove.
Rightmove’s Energy Bills Tracker analysed the EPC rating of all three-bedroom houses for sale on the portal in May 2024, combined with the latest gov.uk postcode level energy statistics, factoring in the latest energy price cap.
It found that 18m homes have a rating of an EPC D or below. This takes into account both homes that have an EPC and those that have never had one because they haven’t been sold or rented out since EPCs were introduced. It equates to more than half (55%) of all UK housing stock.
The analysis of government data shows that the average energy bill of a three-bedroom house with an EPC rating of F is £4,431 per year, compared with £1,669 for the same sized house with an EPC rating of C – a difference of £2,762.
A homeowner with the lowest rating of G could be paying more than £5,000 on average, according to the research.
Rightmove is urging whichever party wins the election to prioritise making green home incentives available to as many homes as possible.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, said:
“While it’s a start to see some green support proposed in the party manifestos, there’s a big job to be done to address the widescale issue that at least 18m UK homes need to be improved.
“Many home-owners and landlords need urgent access to schemes that enable them to make these improvements, which could help with huge savings on energy bills.
“Each home requires different improvements and the upfront costs are a huge barrier to change.
“Without more help, many home-owners and tenants will continue to live in high-carbon emitting homes with high energy costs.”
|
EPC Rating |
Average annual energy bill |
|
A |
£508 |
|
B |
£1,039 |
|
C |
£1,669 |
|
D |
£2,340 |
|
E |
£3,292 |
|
F |
£4,431 |
|
G |
£5,674 |
Commenting on the report, Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, said:
“Propertymark has long supported initiatives and practical measures to help enhance energy efficiency across the UK.
“We would be keen to see any incoming government construct a wide-ranging package of support to assist with upgrades at the first opportunity.
“It’s vital there is a diverse approach of funding, grants, and targeted schemes based on age, condition, and size and that there is robust infrastructure in place to deliver on such ambitions.”
Kindly shared by Estate Agent Today