EPC rating and sold prices in PL3 (Plymouth)
In postcode district PL3 (Plymouth), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 9% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,381 vs £2,181, 5,521 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is +0.8% (95% range −0.9% to +2.6%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 2 of 3 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 84 m² against 100 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 1930–1949 for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 36% of C+ and 40% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +9% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | −9.6% | −12.1% to −7.0% |
| Same floor area | +6.9% | +5.0% to +8.8% |
| + same property type | +6.9% | +5.1% to +8.6% |
| + same build period | +5.7% | +3.5% to +7.8% |
| + same year of sale | +0.8% | −0.9% to +2.6% |
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 PL3
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PL3 4 | 1,974 | +12% | +3.0% ▲ | +0.3% to +5.7% |
| PL3 5 | 1,629 | +11% | −0.3% | −2.9% to +2.3% |
| PL3 6 | 1,918 | +12% | +3.8% ▲ | +1.0% 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 PL3
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 13 | £3,367 |
| B | 209 | £2,463 |
| C | 1,248 | £2,359 |
| D | 2,883 | £2,231 |
| E | 964 | £2,053 |
| F | 166 | £2,035 |
| G | 38 | £1,802 |
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.