While the average house price in London has risen to a staggering £551,000 average, some parts of the country have seen barely any increases over the last 15 years. And if you bought a house in Bolton in 2000, you will have most likely lost money as house prices have fallen by nine per cent.

Leicester was the second worst performer, where prices in the city centre have risen by just nine per cent since 2000, followed by the Aston University area of Birmingham, which has seen 27 per cent increases over the last 15 years.

Russell Quirk, the founder of eMoov who commissioned the research based on data from the Office for National Statistics, says, “This research will certainly come as bad news for homeowners in the centre of Bolton. Generally getting on the ladder is the safest investment one can make in England and Wales and it would seem that anywhere other than this particular area of Bolton, would have at least seen some sort of return on that investment.”

The worst places to have invested in property in Britain since 2000

1. Bolton city centre: -9%

2. Leicester city centre: +9%

3. Birmingham, near Aston University: +27%

4. Leeds, Woodhouse: +38%

5. Birmingham (north of Birmingham New Street): +42%

6. Knowsley, near Huyton: +46%

7. Liverpool (south docks): +51%

8. Stockton-on-Tees (Salters Lane): +54%

9. Liverpool city centre: +55%

10. Isles of Scilly: +58%