EPC rating and sold prices in PL1 (Plymouth)
In postcode district PL1 (Plymouth), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 25% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,318 vs £1,853, 3,883 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −2.3% (95% range −5.2% to +0.6%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 3 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 71 m² against 90 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and before 1900 for D–G; 2% of C+ and 5% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +25% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | −0.2% | −3.4% to +3.2% |
| Same floor area | +20.3% | +17.5% to +23.2% |
| + same property type | +19.9% | +17.1% to +22.8% |
| + same build period | +0.5% | −2.5% to +3.7% |
| + same year of sale | −2.3% | −5.2% to +0.6% |
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 PL1
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PL1 2 | 312 | −1% | −3.0% | −8.6% to +2.9% |
| PL1 3 | 1,142 | +24% | +8.7% ▲ | +3.2% to +14.5% |
| PL1 4 | 1,351 | +20% | −14.6% ▼ | −20.1% to −8.7% |
| PL1 5 | 1,061 | +19% | +5.1% ▲ | +1.1% to +9.2% |
▲ 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 PL1
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 7 | too few |
| B | 1,304 | £2,425 |
| C | 1,100 | £2,181 |
| D | 966 | £1,884 |
| E | 395 | £1,788 |
| F | 84 | £1,718 |
| G | 27 | £1,383 |
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.