EPC rating and sold prices in PR1 (Preston)
In postcode district PR1 (Preston), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 26% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £2,043 vs £1,624, 8,664 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −1.3% (95% range −2.8% to +0.2%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 5 of 7 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 78 m² against 80 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 51% of C+ and 49% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +26% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | +13.9% | +11.1% to +16.8% |
| Same floor area | +18.5% | +16.3% to +20.8% |
| + same property type | +11.7% | +10.0% to +13.4% |
| + same build period | +2.3% | +0.7% to +4.0% |
| + same year of sale | −1.3% | −2.8% to +0.2% |
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 PR1
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR1 0 | 1,707 | +14% | +3.8% ▲ | +1.8% to +5.9% |
| PR1 1 | 251 | +180% | too few | — |
| PR1 2 | 61 | +12% | too few | — |
| PR1 3 | 330 | 0% | too few | — |
| PR1 4 | 762 | +6% | +0.8% | −4.4% to +6.4% |
| PR1 5 | 897 | +12% | +4.3% ▲ | +0.6% to +8.3% |
| PR1 6 | 934 | +21% | +6.6% ▲ | +2.4% to +11.0% |
| PR1 7 | 543 | +28% | +6.7% ▲ | +2.1% to +11.5% |
| PR1 8 | 750 | +20% | +4.7% ▲ | +0.9% to +8.5% |
| PR1 9 | 2,429 | +19% | −0.2% | −2.2% to +1.8% |
▲ 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 PR1
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 36 | £2,809 |
| B | 681 | £2,583 |
| C | 2,187 | £1,820 |
| D | 4,269 | £1,706 |
| E | 1,194 | £1,435 |
| F | 224 | £1,276 |
| G | 73 | £1,036 |
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.