London EPC Rankings by Borough: Where Does Your Property Stand?

London’s EPC Problem in One Number

Over 1 million homes in London are currently rated below EPC C. That is nearly half of all assessed properties in the capital. Every one of them needs upgrading before October 2030 — or landlords face fines of up to £30,000 per property.

But the borough-level data tells a much more interesting story than the London-wide average of 56%. The gap between the best and worst boroughs is 36 percentage points. If you own rental property in Tower Hamlets, you are probably fine. If you own in Havering, you almost certainly have work to do.

The Full Borough Rankings

Why the Gap Is So Large

Tower Hamlets leads because of its housing mix. The borough has undergone massive regeneration over the past two decades — Canary Wharf, the Olympic fringe, and the wave of new-build flats along the Thames. Modern apartments built to post-2013 Building Regulations arrive with EPC B or A ratings as standard. When most of your housing stock was built in the last 20 years, hitting 80% at C or above is almost automatic.

At the other end, the bottom five boroughs share a common profile: older suburban housing stock, predominantly inter-war and post-war semi-detached and detached houses, with cavity walls that may or may not have been insulated, and fewer new-build developments lifting the average.

Havering’s housing stock is heavily 1930s–1960s suburban semis and detached houses. These properties typically sit at D or low C — close to the boundary but not over it. The upgrades needed are often achievable (cavity wall insulation, loft top-up, heating controls) but they have not been done yet because there has been no legal requirement until now.

What This Means for London Landlords

The 2030 deadline does not discriminate by borough. Whether your property is in Tower Hamlets or Havering, it must reach EPC C by 1 October 2030.

If your borough is above 56% (London average)

Your property is more likely to already be at C, but do not assume. Check the actual EPC certificate for each property. A borough average of 60% still means 4 in 10 homes need work.

If your borough is below 50%

The odds are against you. More than half the properties in your area are below C. Your property is statistically more likely to need upgrades. Start by checking what specific improvements are recommended on your EPC.

The £10,000 cost cap

If bringing your property to C would cost more than £10,000, you can register a 10-year exemption after spending up to the cap. This is particularly relevant for:

• Richmond upon Thames (44.39%) — period properties, conservation areas, potentially expensive fabric improvements
• Bromley (44.46%) — older detached stock with solid walls
• Enfield (43.69%) — large inter-war semis that may need both cavity wall and heating upgrades

The Grandparenting Advantage for London

Here is where it gets tactical. Properties assessed at EPC C under the current methodology before October 2029 are deemed compliant until the EPC expires — potentially until 2039.

For London landlords, this creates an opportunity. Many D-rated properties in boroughs like Ealing (54.8%), Croydon (51.6%), and Barnet (50.2%) are close to the C boundary. A cavity wall fill (£350–500), loft top-up (£300–500), and heating controls (£200–350) might be enough to tip them over — total cost under £1,500.

Getting assessed now under the current RdSAP system, before the stricter Home Energy Model replaces it, could lock in compliance for a decade.

Inner vs Outer London: The Pattern

The data reveals a clear inner-outer split:

Inner London boroughs (Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Hackney, Islington, Westminster, Lambeth) tend to score above the London average. Reason: higher density housing, more new-builds, more flats (which are inherently more energy efficient than houses), and more regeneration investment.

Outer London boroughs (Havering, Enfield, Richmond, Bromley, Redbridge) tend to score below average. Reason: lower density, more houses, older stock, more period properties, and less new-build activity.

The exception is Greenwich (63.06%), an outer borough scoring well above average — likely driven by the massive new-build developments around the Greenwich Peninsula.

Check Your Actual Property

Borough averages tell you the odds, but they do not tell you what YOUR property needs. Two houses on the same street can have completely different EPC ratings depending on whether one has had cavity wall insulation, a boiler upgrade, or double glazing.

The only way to know is to check the specific EPC certificate for each property, see what improvements are recommended, and calculate whether they are enough to reach C.