EPC rating and sold prices in L40 (West Lancashire)
In postcode district L40 (West Lancashire), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 17% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,739 vs £2,345, 3,673 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −0.8% (95% range −2.8% to +1.2%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 0 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 106 m² against 93 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1950–1966 for D–G; 83% of C+ and 78% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +17% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +19.8% | +16.3% to +23.4% |
| Same floor area | +11.8% | +9.7% to +13.8% |
| + same property type | +7.6% | +5.8% to +9.4% |
| + same build period | +4.7% | +2.3% to +7.1% |
| + same year of sale | −0.8% | −2.8% to +1.2% |
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 L40
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L40 0 | 270 | +31% | +0.9% | −5.8% to +8.1% |
| L40 1 | 349 | +11% | +5.2% | −1.3% to +12.1% |
| L40 2 | 197 | +8% | too few | — |
| L40 3 | 134 | −3% | too few | — |
| L40 4 | 215 | −2% | +2.3% | −4.6% to +9.8% |
| L40 5 | 717 | +7% | +1.0% | −2.3% to +4.5% |
| L40 6 | 180 | +3% | too few | — |
| L40 7 | 1,284 | +32% | +2.0% | −1.2% to +5.3% |
| L40 8 | 80 | 0% | too few | — |
| L40 9 | 247 | +16% | −4.2% | −10.9% to +3.1% |
▲ 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 L40
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 42 | £3,141 |
| B | 1,007 | £2,852 |
| C | 824 | £2,371 |
| D | 1,234 | £2,368 |
| E | 407 | £2,277 |
| F | 117 | £2,439 |
| G | 42 | £1,968 |
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.