EPC rating and sold prices in BL1 (Bolton)
In postcode district BL1 (Bolton), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 13% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,000 vs £1,763, 9,415 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is +0.3% (95% range −1.1% to +1.7%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 2 of 6 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 77 m² against 83 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 41% of C+ and 50% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +13% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +5.8% | +3.2% to +8.5% |
| Same floor area | +12.9% | +11.1% to +14.7% |
| + same property type | +12.6% | +11.0% to +14.3% |
| + same build period | +6.1% | +4.4% to +7.9% |
| + same year of sale | +0.3% | −1.1% to +1.7% |
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 BL1
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BL1 1 | 74 | +8% | too few | — |
| BL1 2 | 199 | 0% | too few | — |
| BL1 3 | 1,020 | +12% | +4.1% ▲ | +1.0% to +7.3% |
| BL1 4 | 1,251 | +14% | +0.4% | −3.1% to +3.9% |
| BL1 5 | 1,986 | +6% | −1.8% | −4.9% to +1.4% |
| BL1 6 | 1,501 | +18% | +5.0% ▲ | +2.0% to +8.1% |
| BL1 7 | 1,699 | −8% | −2.7% | −5.5% to +0.2% |
| BL1 8 | 1,685 | +40% | +0.9% | −2.5% to +4.5% |
▲ 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 BL1
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 13 | £2,530 |
| B | 924 | £2,250 |
| C | 2,719 | £1,863 |
| D | 4,298 | £1,831 |
| E | 1,163 | £1,609 |
| F | 241 | £1,429 |
| G | 57 | £1,238 |
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.