EPC rating and sold prices in DH3 (County Durham)
In postcode district DH3 (County Durham), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 26% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,094 vs £1,656, 4,612 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −1.1% (95% range −3.1% to +0.9%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 0 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 93 m² against 87 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1950–1966 for D–G; 68% of C+ and 55% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +26% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +30.8% | +26.9% to +34.9% |
| Same floor area | +23.3% | +20.7% to +25.9% |
| + same property type | +14.8% | +12.8% to +17.0% |
| + same build period | +1.2% | −1.0% to +3.4% |
| + same year of sale | −1.1% | −3.1% to +0.9% |
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 DH3
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DH3 1 | 1,304 | +52% | −0.3% | −4.2% to +3.8% |
| DH3 2 | 1,023 | +37% | −3.1% | −7.4% to +1.5% |
| DH3 3 | 1,286 | +11% | +1.7% | −1.7% to +5.2% |
| DH3 4 | 999 | +22% | −1.7% | −5.2% to +2.0% |
▲ 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 DH3
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 8 | too few |
| B | 908 | £2,439 |
| C | 1,502 | £1,809 |
| D | 1,783 | £1,688 |
| E | 358 | £1,553 |
| F | 44 | £1,278 |
| G | 9 | too few |
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.