EPC rating and sold prices in BL2 (Bolton)
In postcode district BL2 (Bolton), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 11% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,121 vs £1,918, 6,551 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −0.3% (95% range −1.8% to +1.3%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 1 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 80 m² against 81 m² for D–G; both groups are most often built in 1950–1966; 55% of C+ and 61% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +11% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +8.8% | +6.0% to +11.7% |
| Same floor area | +8.9% | +6.6% to +11.2% |
| + same property type | +9.9% | +7.9% to +11.9% |
| + same build period | +6.1% | +4.1% to +8.2% |
| + same year of sale | −0.3% | −1.8% to +1.3% |
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 BL2
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BL2 1 | 501 | +60% | +6.8% ▲ | +2.1% to +11.7% |
| BL2 2 | 1,092 | +15% | +1.7% | −1.4% to +4.9% |
| BL2 3 | 1,675 | +15% | +0.6% | −2.1% to +3.3% |
| BL2 4 | 863 | +8% | +2.0% | −1.3% to +5.4% |
| BL2 5 | 996 | +6% | −0.8% | −4.8% to +3.4% |
| BL2 6 | 1,424 | +11% | +1.4% | −1.2% to +4.1% |
▲ 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 BL2
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | too few |
| B | 291 | £2,542 |
| C | 1,749 | £2,025 |
| D | 3,460 | £1,974 |
| E | 854 | £1,769 |
| F | 156 | £1,630 |
| G | 38 | £1,410 |
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.