EPC rating and sold prices in DL1 (Darlington)
In postcode district DL1 (Darlington), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 28% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £1,779 vs £1,392, 7,173 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is +0.6% (95% range −1.3% to +2.5%): 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 83 m² against 81 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 68% of C+ and 64% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +28% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +30.2% | +27.7% to +32.9% |
| Same floor area | +29.3% | +27.2% to +31.3% |
| + same property type | +22.1% | +20.5% to +23.9% |
| + same build period | +4.7% | +2.6% to +6.8% |
| + same year of sale | +0.6% | −1.3% to +2.5% |
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 DL1
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL1 1 | 1,436 | +36% | +4.3% | −0.6% to +9.3% |
| DL1 2 | 1,494 | +18% | +1.8% | −1.3% to +4.9% |
| DL1 3 | 1,610 | +22% | +0.2% | −2.9% to +3.3% |
| DL1 4 | 1,796 | +24% | −0.6% | −4.4% to +3.3% |
| DL1 5 | 837 | +53% | too few | — |
▲ 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 DL1
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 67 | £2,346 |
| B | 1,152 | £1,855 |
| C | 1,506 | £1,639 |
| D | 3,106 | £1,458 |
| E | 1,110 | £1,273 |
| F | 199 | £1,183 |
| G | 33 | £823 |
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.