Key findings
- 441,015 of the 933,790 the North East homes with an EPC (47%) are rated D or below, short of the C the government plans to require of every private rental from 1 October 2030.
- DL13 (Bishop Auckland) has the highest share below C: 74% of 5,006 homes. NE13 (Newcastle upon Tyne) has the lowest, at 22%.
- 97,167 homes (10%) are rated E, F or G, two bands or more short of C. Of those, 15,619 are F or G: below the legal minimum for letting today, unless an exemption is registered.
- 33% of the latest certificates (306,377) have expired, so many ratings are more than ten years old.
- 933,790the North East homes with an EPC on the register
- 441,015Rated D or below, short of the planned C
- 1 Oct 2030Planned deadline for C in private rentals
102 districts, ranked
Share of homes with an EPC rated D or below, highest first. Districts with under 1,000 homes on the register are marked: their shares move more with a few homes.
| District | Homes | Below C | E–G | Expired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL13 Bishop Auckland | 5,006 | 74% | 39% | 38% |
| NE49 Haltwhistle | 1,395 | 67% | 28% | 34% |
| NE26 Whitley Bay | 6,017 | 67% | 17% | 39% |
| SR6 Sunderland | 9,481 | 64% | 15% | 36% |
| DL3 Darlington | 15,448 | 63% | 19% | 35% |
| DL12 Barnard Castle | 4,668 | 63% | 30% | 29% |
| TS11 Redcar | 3,467 | 63% | 13% | 40% |
| NE41 Prudhoe(small) | 614 | 62% | 20% | 38% |
| NE36 Boldon | 2,020 | 62% | 14% | 35% |
| DL10 Richmond | 6,120 | 61% | 19% | 36% |
| TS5 Middlesbrough | 12,306 | 61% | 18% | 39% |
| TS12 Saltburn-by-the-Sea | 7,980 | 59% | 19% | 41% |
| NE39 Rowlands Gill | 2,725 | 58% | 13% | 39% |
| TS9 Stokesley | 4,508 | 58% | 21% | 36% |
| NE32 Jarrow | 8,679 | 56% | 9% | 26% |
| NE30 North Shields | 7,820 | 56% | 12% | 35% |
| TS20 Stockton-on-Tees | 7,423 | 56% | 13% | 36% |
| NE16 Whickham | 7,297 | 56% | 10% | 39% |
| NE7 Newcastle upon Tyne | 4,140 | 55% | 10% | 38% |
| TS1 Middlesbrough | 8,201 | 55% | 15% | 26% |
| TS7 Middlesbrough | 7,117 | 55% | 12% | 39% |
| SR4 Sunderland | 14,393 | 54% | 14% | 26% |
| NE46 Hexham | 5,421 | 54% | 19% | 33% |
| NE40 Ryton | 5,350 | 54% | 10% | 37% |
| NE66 Alnwick | 7,585 | 54% | 23% | 34% |
| NE10 Gateshead | 11,337 | 53% | 8% | 42% |
| TS14 Guisborough | 6,186 | 53% | 14% | 40% |
| NE9 Gateshead | 11,754 | 53% | 11% | 39% |
| NE2 Newcastle upon Tyne | 9,861 | 53% | 13% | 17% |
| SR2 Sunderland | 12,651 | 53% | 13% | 27% |
| DL7 Northallerton | 5,555 | 53% | 18% | 32% |
| TS10 Redcar | 13,432 | 52% | 14% | 39% |
| TS25 Hartlepool | 13,950 | 52% | 9% | 32% |
| DL17 Ferryhill | 7,565 | 52% | 11% | 32% |
| DH8 Consett | 13,523 | 52% | 13% | 39% |
| TS23 Billingham | 9,287 | 52% | 9% | 40% |
| NE45 Corbridge | 1,576 | 51% | 17% | 34% |
| TS26 Hartlepool | 9,547 | 51% | 16% | 35% |
| TS19 Stockton-on-Tees | 12,684 | 51% | 9% | 39% |
| DL4 Shildon | 4,190 | 51% | 11% | 31% |
| NE11 Gateshead | 4,928 | 50% | 9% | 39% |
| NE42 Prudhoe | 3,685 | 50% | 10% | 38% |
| NE25 Whitley Bay | 9,739 | 50% | 8% | 40% |
| NE3 Newcastle upon Tyne | 16,746 | 50% | 10% | 36% |
| DL1 Darlington | 17,690 | 50% | 13% | 34% |
| DL15 Crook | 8,333 | 50% | 12% | 35% |
| NE20 Ponteland | 3,969 | 50% | 16% | 33% |
| DH9 Stanley | 13,379 | 50% | 10% | 35% |
| NE21 Blaydon-on-Tyne | 5,776 | 49% | 10% | 41% |
| DL6 Northallerton | 5,828 | 49% | 17% | 30% |
| NE35 Boldon | 2,002 | 49% | 7% | 35% |
| NE34 South Shields | 18,156 | 49% | 6% | 33% |
| TS3 Middlesbrough | 11,382 | 48% | 7% | 29% |
| TS27 Hartlepool | 4,598 | 48% | 11% | 31% |
| NE33 South Shields | 11,353 | 48% | 10% | 30% |
| NE6 Newcastle upon Tyne | 18,965 | 48% | 8% | 29% |
| DH3 Chester-le-Street | 8,820 | 48% | 9% | 37% |
| TS16 Stockton-on-Tees | 3,812 | 47% | 10% | 32% |
| NE64 Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 2,240 | 47% | 11% | 30% |
| DH2 Chester-le-Street | 10,254 | 46% | 6% | 41% |
| DH7 Durham | 15,401 | 46% | 11% | 34% |
| DL14 Bishop Auckland | 14,817 | 46% | 13% | 31% |
| TS18 Stockton-on-Tees | 10,144 | 45% | 14% | 34% |
| TS21 Stockton-on-Tees | 5,138 | 45% | 12% | 31% |
| SR7 Seaham | 11,053 | 45% | 8% | 33% |
| TS6 Middlesbrough | 11,127 | 45% | 9% | 37% |
| SR8 Peterlee | 13,125 | 45% | 7% | 28% |
| DH5 Houghton-le-Spring | 8,250 | 45% | 9% | 27% |
| NE15 Newcastle upon Tyne | 11,704 | 44% | 8% | 33% |
| NE5 Newcastle upon Tyne | 16,977 | 44% | 7% | 36% |
| DH1 Durham | 15,460 | 44% | 9% | 28% |
| DH4 Houghton-le-Spring | 12,809 | 43% | 8% | 31% |
| NE4 Newcastle upon Tyne | 13,034 | 43% | 8% | 28% |
| NE61 Morpeth | 12,827 | 43% | 13% | 32% |
| SR3 Sunderland | 14,148 | 43% | 7% | 25% |
| DL9 Catterick Garrison | 4,713 | 43% | 5% | 30% |
| TS15 Yarm | 5,271 | 43% | 11% | 30% |
| TS17 Stockton-on-Tees | 15,392 | 42% | 6% | 37% |
| NE24 Blyth | 15,001 | 42% | 8% | 37% |
| DH6 Durham | 13,408 | 42% | 8% | 33% |
| SR5 Sunderland | 13,141 | 41% | 8% | 23% |
| TS24 Hartlepool | 9,740 | 41% | 8% | 28% |
| DL2 Darlington | 7,706 | 41% | 16% | 27% |
| NE23 Cramlington | 13,664 | 40% | 7% | 35% |
| NE29 North Shields | 13,991 | 40% | 7% | 34% |
| DL16 Spennymoor | 8,831 | 40% | 8% | 33% |
| NE37 Washington | 7,135 | 40% | 5% | 24% |
| NE12 Newcastle upon Tyne | 12,669 | 40% | 7% | 34% |
| NE8 Gateshead | 13,843 | 39% | 8% | 28% |
| TS4 Middlesbrough | 7,489 | 39% | 8% | 29% |
| DL5 Newton Aycliffe | 10,446 | 39% | 6% | 36% |
| NE38 Washington | 9,912 | 38% | 4% | 30% |
| NE31 Hebburn | 8,577 | 38% | 5% | 28% |
| NE22 Bedlington | 6,568 | 37% | 7% | 30% |
| NE28 Wallsend | 17,206 | 37% | 6% | 32% |
| NE63 Ashington | 11,300 | 34% | 6% | 28% |
| SR1 Sunderland | 3,669 | 34% | 9% | 9% |
| TS22 Billingham | 4,005 | 32% | 6% | 28% |
| TS8 Middlesbrough | 8,614 | 31% | 4% | 35% |
| NE1 Newcastle upon Tyne | 5,930 | 25% | 7% | 17% |
| TS2 Middlesbrough(small) | 585 | 23% | 4% | 25% |
| NE13 Newcastle upon Tyne | 9,036 | 22% | 4% | 28% |
By town
- Haltwhistle67%below C · 1,395 homes · NE49
- Barnard Castle63%below C · 4,668 homes · DL12
- Richmond61%below C · 6,120 homes · DL10
- Saltburn-by-the-Sea59%below C · 7,980 homes · TS12
- Rowlands Gill58%below C · 2,725 homes · NE39
- Stokesley58%below C · 4,508 homes · TS9
- Whitley Bay56%below C · 15,756 homes · NE25, NE26
- Jarrow56%below C · 8,679 homes · NE32
- Whickham56%below C · 7,297 homes · NE16
- Boldon56%below C · 4,022 homes · NE35, NE36
- Redcar54%below C · 16,899 homes · TS10, TS11
- Hexham54%below C · 5,421 homes · NE46
- Ryton54%below C · 5,350 homes · NE40
- Alnwick54%below C · 7,585 homes · NE66
- Guisborough53%below C · 6,186 homes · TS14
- Darlington53%below C · 40,844 homes · DL1, DL2, DL3
- Bishop Auckland53%below C · 19,823 homes · DL13, DL14
- Prudhoe52%below C · 4,299 homes · NE41, NE42
- Ferryhill52%below C · 7,565 homes · DL17
- Consett52%below C · 13,523 homes · DH8
- Northallerton51%below C · 11,383 homes · DL6, DL7
- Corbridge51%below C · 1,576 homes · NE45
- Shildon51%below C · 4,190 homes · DL4
- Crook50%below C · 8,333 homes · DL15
- Ponteland50%below C · 3,969 homes · NE20
- Stanley50%below C · 13,379 homes · DH9
- Sunderland49%below C · 67,483 homes · SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5, SR6
- Blaydon-on-Tyne49%below C · 5,776 homes · NE21
- Hartlepool48%below C · 37,835 homes · TS24, TS25, TS26, TS27
- Gateshead48%below C · 41,862 homes · NE10, NE11, NE8, NE9
- South Shields48%below C · 29,509 homes · NE33, NE34
- Middlesbrough48%below C · 66,821 homes · TS1, TS2, TS3, TS4, TS5, TS6, TS7, TS8
- Stockton-on-Tees47%below C · 54,593 homes · TS16, TS17, TS18, TS19, TS20, TS21
- Newbiggin-by-the-Sea47%below C · 2,240 homes · NE64
- Chester-le-Street47%below C · 19,074 homes · DH2, DH3
- North Shields46%below C · 21,811 homes · NE29, NE30
- Billingham46%below C · 13,292 homes · TS22, TS23
- Seaham45%below C · 11,053 homes · SR7
- Peterlee45%below C · 13,125 homes · SR8
- Durham44%below C · 44,269 homes · DH1, DH6, DH7
- Houghton-le-Spring44%below C · 21,059 homes · DH4, DH5
- Newcastle upon Tyne43%below C · 119,062 homes · NE1, NE12, NE13, NE15, NE2, NE3, NE4, NE5, NE6, NE7
- Morpeth43%below C · 12,827 homes · NE61
- Catterick Garrison43%below C · 4,713 homes · DL9
- Yarm43%below C · 5,271 homes · TS15
- Blyth42%below C · 15,001 homes · NE24
- Cramlington40%below C · 13,664 homes · NE23
- Spennymoor40%below C · 8,831 homes · DL16
- Washington39%below C · 17,047 homes · NE37, NE38
- Newton Aycliffe39%below C · 10,446 homes · DL5
- Hebburn38%below C · 8,577 homes · NE31
- Bedlington37%below C · 6,568 homes · NE22
- Wallsend37%below C · 17,206 homes · NE28
- Ashington34%below C · 11,300 homes · NE63
How the North East compares
Across all its homes the North East is 4th of England's 9 regions for the share rated C or above, slightly ahead of England as a whole. Its privately rented houses tell a different story: detached, semi-detached and terraced all have a typical score in band D. Rented terraced houses are at 65, 4 points short of C, and below England's 66.
Homes rated C or above
- London57.9%
- South East55.6%
- East of England54.8%
- North East53.5%
- England53.3%
- North West52.7%
- South West52.1%
- East Midlands51.8%
- West Midlands50.0%
- Wales47.3%
- Yorkshire and The Humber47.1%
Privately rented homes: typical score
Median EPC score. C starts at 69.
| Type | North East | England |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 65 D | 63 |
| Semi-detached | 67 D | 65 |
| Terraced | 65 D | 66 |
| Flats and maisonettes | 70 C | 71 |
Source: Office for National Statistics, Energy efficiency of housing in England and Wales: 2025 (EPCs lodged April 2015 to March 2025; Open Government Licence v3.0). The ONS uses its own quality checks and period, so its figures differ slightly from our register snapshot above.
What would get them to C
We read 10,800 certificates of the North East homes rated D to G in full. Doing everything on its certificate would take 90% of them to C or better, though most lists end with solar panels. These are the improvements suggested most often, with the register's typical costs.
- Low-energy lightingTypically £2056%
- Heating controls (thermostat and radiator valves)Typically £350 – £45035%
- Floor insulation (suspended floor)Typically £800 – £1,20033%
- New condensing boilerTypically £2,200 – £3,00031%
- Floor insulation (solid floor)Typically £4,000 – £6,00028%
- Solid wall insulation (internal or external)Typically £4,000 – £14,00025%
Percentages are the share of those certificates suggesting it. Costs are typical ranges printed on the certificates, not quotes.
What the government plans
Private rentals in England and Wales must be rated E or better today. In its January 2026 response the government confirmed plans to raise that to C for every tenancy by 1 October 2030. Landlords would spend up to £10,000 per property (less on homes worth under £100,000) before they could register an exemption, and face fines of up to £30,000. The plans still need legislation, expected in 2027.
The register covers homes sold or let since 2008, owner-occupied as well as rented, so these figures describe the North East's housing with an EPC, not rentals alone.
How we did it
- We looked up every postcode in DH1–DH9, DL1–DL7, DL9, DL10, DL12–DL17, NE1–NE13, NE15, NE16, NE20–NE26, NE28–NE42, NE45, NE46, NE49, NE61, NE63, NE64, NE66, SR1–SR8, TS1–TS12, TS14–TS27 on the government's EPC register on 7 November 2026, using the postcode lists in OS Code-Point Open.
- Each home counts once, by its latest certificate. A certificate expires ten years after it was lodged.
- Districts are grouped into towns as our town pages are (whole postcode districts by post town), not by council boundaries.
- Improvements come from a random sample of 200 D–G certificates per town, read in full. Solar panels, solar water heating and wind are left out of the list because nearly every certificate ends with one.
- Ratings describe each home when it was assessed: improvements made since only show on a new EPC.
For journalists
Free to use with credit. Please cite SwiftCerts analysis of the GOV.UK EPC register, 7 November 2026
and link to this page. We can run the figures for a particular district or town, or comment on what they mean for landlords.
Own a home in the North East?
Check its current rating free, and see what its certificate says would get it to C.