"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"
- Marc von Grundherr - Benham and Reeves
New analysis from Benham and Reeves indicates that energy-efficient properties are making up a growing share of housing transactions across England, with 61.3% of homes sold over the past four quarters holding a minimum EPC rating of C.
The findings, based on Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data linked to completed property sales from Q2 2024 to Q1 2025, show a 1.5 percentage point increase in the proportion of homes with a rating of C or above compared with the previous four quarters.
London recorded the highest proportion of energy-efficient sales, with 64.3% of homes sold meeting the EPC C threshold. Although the capital saw just a 0.6 percentage point rise year-on-year, matching the South East for the lowest regional increase, it continues to lead the country in terms of overall energy performance among properties sold.
The West Midlands posted the most significant annual growth, with a 3.3 percentage point increase bringing the region's total to 58.5%. Other regions with strong year-on-year improvements included the East Midlands, up by 2.9%, and the East of England, which rose by 2.3%.
Yorkshire and The Humber and the North West also saw increases of 1.8% and 1.7% respectively. However, Yorkshire and The Humber remains the lowest-ranking region overall, with just 57.1% of sold properties meeting the minimum EPC C standard.
“The growing number of energy-efficient homes changing hands is a positive sign for both buyers and the environment,” said Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves. ‘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,"
‘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.”
