Increasing numbers of homes are coming to the market with higher energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings, research suggests.
New analysis shows 60% of all homes to reach the market over 2024 held an EPC rating of C or above, as buyers, tenants and housebuilders increase the attention they’re giving to energy performance ratings.
Data firm epIMS analysed the number of homes that have been sold, let, or constructed in England and Wales between the end of the fourth quarter of 2023 and the end of the third quarter of 2024 to see how many held an EPC rating of C or above.
It found that 60.2% of all homes to have been sold, let, or constructed held an EPC rating of C or above, marking an increase of 1.6% on the previous year.
In London, 64% of homes reached the market with a rating of C or above, which is the highest proportion across all regions.
This was followed by the North East (61.8%), South East (61.5%), North West (61.5%), and East of England (61.4%).
Every region except the North East has seen an increase in the proportion of C or above properties coming to market, according to the research.
Yorkshire and Humber has seen the biggest annual increase of 3.9%, followed by the East Midlands (2.4%), West Midlands (1.8%), and East of England (1.7%).
Craig Cooper, chief operating officer at epIMS, said: “It’s great to see an increased awareness of EPC ratings among tenants and buyers, as they develop their understanding of how a home’s energy efficiency impacts both the global environment and household expenses.
“But an EPC rating isn’t necessarily reflective of how eco-friendly a home is, and not enough people know that the overall EPC rating of A through to G doesn’t give the full, genuine picture of what’s going on within the home. For example, air source heat pumps are an environmentally friendly way of heating a home, but provide less of a boost to the EPC rating than an efficient traditional gas boiler.
“True understanding of a home’s energy efficiency is only available when you study the EPC score on a much closer level, which means knowing how numerical EPC points accumulate to create the overall letter rating. This is how you get a full picture of a home’s energy efficiency and, more importantly, the steps required to improve it.”