Tenants in north Shropshire look set to be some of the worst effected by the energy crisis according to new research.

Research by Homesearch found the Shrewsbury SY postcode was among the 10 in the country with the highest proportion of energy inefficient properties – meaning tenants will be among those to have to fork out extra to keep their homes warm in the winter.

The area covered by the Llandudno postcode (LL) which includes Chirk and Llangollen was the second worst area in the country with just shy of three quarters (74.7 per cent) of rental properties having a poor D-G Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. This was behind only the Blackburn postcode, where 78 per cent of households rated with the poorest energy efficency.

The SY postcode, which covers a huge area including north Shropshire, did not fare much better, coming in 10th on the list with 71.6 per cent of properties being in the lowest category – nearly 10 per cent above the national average.

The research showed a worrying picture across the country as tenants struggle with their personal finances during the energy price crisis facing the nation with news yesterday that energy bills could rise to over £4,000 per year in January for the average household.

Homesearch data found that on average 62% of rental properties in the UK are not energy efficient and have an EPC rating of D-G.

Sam Hunter, chief operating officer 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.

Mr Hunter also said that how energy efficient a property is, will start having a major influence on the housing market in the current crisis: “Although it is a postcode lottery, we envisage that the EPC rating of a property is going to be a key decision factor for tenants when choosing a rental property, especially as energy consumption and prices spiral later this year.”