Leon explained: “The £8.55 million figure puts a concrete number on what inefficient housing costs renters every year. These aren’t abstract statistics. They affect whether people can afford to heat their homes. Brighton already faces significant affordability pressures, and excessive heating costs only add to the challenges faced by many tenants.”
The findings suggest that landlords, local authorities and policymakers may need to consider alternative approaches if future energy efficiency targets are to be achieved across large parts of Brighton’s rental sector.
Leon hopes the report will encourage conversations about how best to support landlords and tenants ahead of future regulatory changes.
“I’d like to see greater recognition that standard retrofit measures don’t work for every type of property. There needs to be a more serious conversation about specialist pathways for older housing stock and how we prepare for what’s coming next.”
Impact of Brighton Programme
Leon believes his studies at Brighton played a key role in producing the report. He completed the research while finishing his degree, demonstrating a clear application of his academic skills in addressing real-world challenges affecting their local communities.
“The Marketing Management programme gave me a framework for translating data into decisions and communicating complex findings to different audiences. But I also think Brighton itself shaped the research. You can’t study here without becoming aware of the housing pressures facing students and young renters. The project came out of being here and studying here.”
Liz Hawkins, Course Leader for Marketing Management at the University of Brighton, said: “Leon’s research demonstrates the power of applying academic learning to real-world challenges. What is particularly impressive is not only the scale of the analysis he undertook, but the way he has used data and critical thinking to explore an issue with clear relevance for renters, landlords and policymakers. This is exactly the kind of curiosity, initiative and problem-solving mindset we encourage on the Marketing Management course, and we are incredibly proud of what he has achieved.”
While many students are preparing for graduation, 20-year-old Leon is already building a career as an entrepreneur. He has turned the learnings from identifying this problem in the housing market into a full-blown consultancy, Crestwell Advisory, helping landlords understand and respond to changing energy efficiency regulations.
His research reflects both a passion for data-driven problem-solving and a desire to contribute to conversations that matter to Brighton's residents and renters, while contributing to ongoing discussions around housing affordability, energy efficiency and the future of private rented accommodation across the UK. The study is available to be downloaded by the public.