EPC rating and sold prices in WD18 (Watford)
In postcode district WD18 (Watford), homes rated EPC C or better sold for 4% more per square metre than D–G homes (median £5,000 vs £4,816, 3,270 sales). Like for like — same size, type, build period and year — the difference is −0.2% (95% range −2.3% to +1.9%): the EPC band itself is not reflected in sale prices here. 0 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 69 m² against 78 m² for D–G; the most common build period is 2012 onwards for C+ and 1900–1929 for D–G; 5% of C+ and 21% of D–G sales are detached or semi-detached houses.
| Comparing C+ with D–G homes… | Difference | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Raw gap per m² (medians) | +4% | — |
| Whole price, nothing held equal | −13.6% | −15.9% to −11.3% |
| Same floor area | −0.8% | −2.2% to +0.7% |
| + same property type | +8.8% | +6.8% to +10.8% |
| + same build period | +1.5% | −0.7% to +3.7% |
| + same year of sale | −0.2% | −2.3% to +1.9% |
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 WD18
| Sector | Sales | Raw gap | Like-for-like | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WD18 0 | 1,377 | +11% | +0.3% | −3.1% to +3.9% |
| WD18 6 | 407 | +2% | +0.9% | −2.3% to +4.2% |
| WD18 7 | 1,309 | −2% | +2.3% | −1.6% to +6.4% |
| WD18 8 | 160 | −11% | +0.3% | −3.5% to +4.2% |
▲ 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 WD18
| EPC band (last certificate before sale) | Sales | Median £ per m² |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | too few |
| B | 726 | £5,285 |
| C | 951 | £4,833 |
| D | 1,176 | £4,860 |
| E | 348 | £4,726 |
| F | 50 | £4,586 |
| G | 18 | £4,175 |
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.