EPC rating and sold prices in LA1 (Lancaster)
In postcode district LA1 (Lancaster), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 17% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,283 vs £1,946, 9,173 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −0.4% (95% range −1.9% to +1.1%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 0 of 5 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 80 m² against 83 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 42% of C+ and 42% 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 | +10.7% | +8.5% to +13.0% |
| Same floor area | +13.6% | +12.2% to +15.1% |
| + same property type | +11.3% | +9.9% to +12.8% |
| + same build period | +2.0% | +0.4% to +3.8% |
| + same year of sale | −0.4% | −1.9% to +1.1% |
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 LA1
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LA1 1 | 808 | +2% | −4.0% | −8.5% to +0.8% |
| LA1 2 | 1,598 | +13% | +0.4% | −2.8% to +3.8% |
| LA1 3 | 2,471 | +23% | −2.8% | −6.0% to +0.5% |
| LA1 4 | 2,189 | +7% | +1.4% | −0.5% to +3.4% |
| LA1 5 | 2,107 | +15% | +1.6% | −1.2% to +4.6% |
▲ 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 LA1
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 54 | £2,958 |
| B | 1,423 | £2,420 |
| C | 2,208 | £2,146 |
| D | 4,023 | £2,011 |
| E | 1,204 | £1,823 |
| F | 206 | £1,692 |
| G | 55 | £1,480 |
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.