EPC rating and sold prices in L31 (Sefton)
In postcode district L31 (Sefton), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 13% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,473 vs £2,196, 5,353 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is +0.5% (95% range −0.8% to +1.9%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 4 of 10 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 91 m² against 91 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1950–1966 for D–G; 74% of C+ and 83% 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 | +9.9% | +7.7% to +12.2% |
| Same floor area | +9.9% | +8.3% to +11.5% |
| + same property type | +9.6% | +8.1% to +11.1% |
| + same build period | +5.6% | +3.9% to +7.3% |
| + same year of sale | +0.5% | −0.8% to +1.9% |
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 L31
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L31 0 | 372 | +4% | +4.0% ▲ | +0.4% to +7.6% |
| L31 1 | 1,135 | +37% | +0.7% | −4.0% to +5.6% |
| L31 2 | 705 | +4% | +2.1% | −1.6% to +6.0% |
| L31 3 | 290 | +1% | −4.6% | −10.5% to +1.7% |
| L31 4 | 345 | −1% | −3.3% | −7.4% to +0.9% |
| L31 5 | 476 | +10% | +6.0% ▲ | +2.1% to +10.1% |
| L31 6 | 531 | +5% | +2.8% | −0.5% to +6.2% |
| L31 7 | 406 | +5% | −2.7% | −8.2% to +3.1% |
| L31 8 | 484 | +26% | +5.0% ▲ | +1.3% to +8.8% |
| L31 9 | 609 | +4% | +4.4% ▲ | +2.2% to +6.6% |
▲ 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 L31
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 25 | £3,125 |
| B | 835 | £2,734 |
| C | 1,450 | £2,234 |
| D | 2,338 | £2,222 |
| E | 558 | £2,076 |
| F | 110 | £2,105 |
| G | 37 | £2,329 |
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.