EPC rating and sold prices in BH20 (Dorset)
In postcode district BH20 (Dorset), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 0% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £3,562 vs £3,555, 2,827 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — homes rated C or better sold for 2.1% less (95% range −3.8% to −0.4%). 2 of 4 sectors with enough sales show a difference distinguishable from zero. Data: HM Land Registry to 30 September 2026, EPC register.
From the raw gap to like-for-like
The homes are not alike: C+ homes here have a median floor area of 88 m² against 90 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1950–1966 for D–G; 60% of C+ and 69% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | 0% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | −3.7% | −6.8% to −0.4% |
| Same floor area | −1.7% | −3.7% to +0.3% |
| + same property type | +0.7% | −1.1% to +2.5% |
| + same build period | +1.0% | −1.1% to +3.2% |
| + same year of sale | −2.1% | −3.8% to −0.4% |
The first row compares median prices per m²; the second compares whole prices; each later row adds one more thing that must be equal, ending with the like-for-like premium (regression of log price; build period from the certificate, 12 bands). The raw gap per m² and the whole-price gap differ because C+ and D–G homes differ in size.
Postcode sectors in BH20
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH20 4 | 1,030 | +6% | +3.9% ▲ | +1.2% to +6.8% |
| BH20 5 | 454 | +2% | −1.8% | −7.0% to +3.7% |
| BH20 6 | 761 | −6% | −7.2% ▼ | −10.0% to −4.4% |
| BH20 7 | 582 | +1% | +0.3% | −2.5% to +3.3% |
▲ green: premium distinguishable from zero; ▼ red: discount; plain: no measurable difference. Small areas have fewer sales, so their 95% ranges are wider.
Sold prices by EPC band in BH20
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | too few |
| B | 266 | £3,731 |
| C | 796 | £3,479 |
| D | 1,235 | £3,554 |
| E | 411 | £3,571 |
| F | 87 | £3,518 |
| G | 31 | £3,670 |
A median is shown when a band has at least 10 sales.
How this is calculated
- Every standard sale (HM Land Registry Price Paid, category A) since January 2015 is matched to the latest energy certificate of the same address (postcode + house number or name + flat) lodged from 10 years before to 3 months after the sale; sales with no certificate or an ambiguous match are left out. Across England and Wales 92% of sales match.
- Price per m² uses the certificate's total floor area (15–1,000 m²).
- Like-for-like premium: regression of the log of price on “C or better”, log floor area, property type, the certificate's build period and the year of sale. The 95% range shows how precise the estimate is; when it includes zero, the data cannot tell the premium apart from none.
Caveats
- The band is the one on the certificate before the sale; certificates are a median 0.8 years old at the sale, but a quarter are over 4 years old and some homes were improved since.
- Condition, garden, parking, views and the exact position within the sector are not known; a premium could hide in them, or they could hide one.
- Individual sales and addresses are not shown.