EPC rating and sold prices in SO16 (Southampton)
In postcode district SO16 (Southampton), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 5% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £3,125 vs £2,971, 8,566 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −0.3% (95% range −1.3% to +0.7%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 4 of 8 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 81 m² against 84 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1950–1966 for D–G; 37% of C+ and 55% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +5% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | −1.2% | −3.2% to +0.8% |
| Same floor area | +3.5% | +2.3% to +4.7% |
| + same property type | +8.5% | +7.4% to +9.6% |
| + same build period | +2.7% | +1.5% to +3.9% |
| + same year of sale | −0.3% | −1.3% to +0.7% |
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 SO16
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO16 0 | 582 | −6% | −4.3% | −8.7% to +0.2% |
| SO16 2 | 131 | −8% | too few | — |
| SO16 3 | 1,067 | 0% | +0.6% | −1.8% to +3.1% |
| SO16 4 | 1,000 | +10% | +3.3% ▲ | +0.4% to +6.2% |
| SO16 5 | 855 | +4% | +3.2% ▲ | +1.1% to +5.4% |
| SO16 6 | 901 | +3% | +5.4% ▲ | +2.5% to +8.5% |
| SO16 7 | 1,112 | −5% | +1.9% | −1.4% to +5.2% |
| SO16 8 | 1,654 | +8% | −0.1% | −2.0% to +1.9% |
| SO16 9 | 1,264 | +8% | +2.7% ▲ | +1.1% to +4.3% |
▲ 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 SO16
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 15 | £2,889 |
| B | 1,103 | £3,570 |
| C | 2,651 | £2,982 |
| D | 3,689 | £3,036 |
| E | 909 | £2,794 |
| F | 174 | £2,652 |
| G | 25 | £2,385 |
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.