Boom in energy-efficient home sales as London tops the table

A wave of eco-conscious property transactions is sweeping across England, with a notable rise in homes rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or higher changing hands.

According to a study by Benham and Reeves, 61.3% of properties sold in the past year achieved this benchmark, marking a 1.5% rise compared to the previous four quarters.

The capital stands out as the frontrunner, with 64.3% of homes sold in London boasting an EPC rating of C or better.

London is solidifying its reputation as the hub for greener living spaces.

However, its year-on-year growth was modest at 0.6%, tying with the South East for the smallest increase.

Promising trend for the market

Marc von Grundherr, a director of Benham and Reeves, said: “The growing number of energy-efficient homes changing hands is a positive sign for both buyers and the environment.

“London‘s continued leadership highlights the capital’s strength in offering greener housing options, while the significant gains in regions like the West Midlands demonstrate a promising trend nationwide.”

He added: “Improving energy efficiency is critical as we move towards a more sustainable housing market and so it’s great to see that the hard work is being done to boost the quality of housing stock in order to help meet these sustainability targets.”

Strong EPC credentials

The data shows that the West Midlands emerged as the star performer, witnessing a substantial 3.3 percentage point climb to 58.5% of homes sold with strong EPC credentials.

Other regions also made strides, with the East Midlands and East of England recording gains of 2.9% and 2.3%, respectively.

Yorkshire and the Humber, alongside the North West, saw respectable rises of 1.8% and 1.7%.

Despite this improvement, Yorkshire and the Humber lagged, with only 57.1% of its sold properties meeting the EPC C threshold, the lowest in England.