EPC rating and sold prices in DL3 (Darlington)
In postcode district DL3 (Darlington), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 20% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £1,964 vs £1,643, 7,762 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −1.7% (95% range −3.6% to +0.2%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 1 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 89 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 55% of C+ and 57% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +20% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +16.2% | +12.8% to +19.8% |
| Same floor area | +22.8% | +20.5% to +25.1% |
| + same property type | +11.6% | +9.8% to +13.4% |
| + same build period | +1.8% | −0.2% to +3.9% |
| + same year of sale | −1.7% | −3.6% to +0.2% |
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 DL3
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL3 0 | 2,341 | +24% | +0.3% | −1.9% to +2.6% |
| DL3 6 | 1,412 | +12% | +1.3% | −4.2% to +7.1% |
| DL3 7 | 824 | +20% | too few | — |
| DL3 8 | 1,528 | +12% | −0.9% | −4.0% to +2.2% |
| DL3 9 | 1,657 | +6% | −5.1% ▼ | −9.0% to −0.9% |
▲ 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 DL3
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | too few |
| B | 522 | £2,160 |
| C | 1,537 | £1,901 |
| D | 3,803 | £1,715 |
| E | 1,588 | £1,553 |
| F | 265 | £1,486 |
| G | 43 | £867 |
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.