Will your County Durham rental pass EPC C by 2030?
13,426 of 26,043 privately rented homes in County Durham are below EPC C, 52% of the local rental market. They must be upgraded by 1 October 2030.
How County Durham compares
About average
County Durham sits close to the England and Wales figure.
52% of rented homes here are below EPC C, against 53% across England and Wales. That ranks County Durham 210 of 318 councils by the share needing work.
Every band in County Durham
Of 26,043 privately rented homes with a current certificate.
How many can actually reach C?
12,851 of the 13,426 sub-C rentals in County Durham, 96% of them, already have a potential rating of C or better on their current certificate. That is the assessor's own estimate of what the property would reach if the recommended measures were installed.
Landlords are required to spend up to £10,000 per property. Above that, an exemption may apply.
The transitional rule
An EPC rated C or higher on the existing Energy Efficiency Rating, issued before 1 October 2029, counts as compliant until that certificate expires.
Source: Transitional rule. Verified 21 September 2026.
Local housing stock
| Privately rented | 26,043 |
|---|---|
| Socially rented | 38,391 |
| Owner occupied | 87,106 |
| Median floor area | 81 m² |
Postcode districts in County Durham
Districts that sit mostly or wholly inside County Durham.
| District | Post town | Rented | Below C | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DH1 | Durham | 3,395 | 1,537 | 45% |
| DL14 | Bishop Auckland | 2,367 | 1,282 | 54% |
| DH9 | Stanley | 2,234 | 1,157 | 52% |
| SR8 | Peterlee | 2,134 | 971 | 46% |
| DH8 | Consett | 1,770 | 924 | 52% |
| DH7 | Durham | 1,652 | 813 | 49% |
| SR7 | Seaham | 1,556 | 772 | 50% |
| DL17 | Ferryhill | 1,298 | 768 | 59% |
| DH6 | Durham | 1,316 | 647 | 49% |
| DH4 | Houghton Le Spring | 1,130 | 608 | 54% |
| DL15 | Crook | 956 | 567 | 59% |
| DL4 | Shildon | 899 | 534 | 59% |
| DH3 | Chester Le Street | 1,090 | 526 | 48% |
| DL16 | Spennymoor | 840 | 463 | 55% |
| DL12 | Barnard Castle | 565 | 442 | 78% |
| DL5 | Newton Aycliffe | 1,079 | 440 | 41% |
| DL2 | Darlington | 773 | 435 | 56% |
| DH2 | Chester Le Street | 988 | 407 | 41% |
| DL13 | Bishop Auckland | 522 | 399 | 76% |
| NE16 | Newcastle Upon Tyne | 744 | 314 | 42% |