London vs North West: what 4.88 million EPC records reveal
A side-by-side EPC Atlas comparison shows how dramatically regional housing profiles differ — and why home-improvement prospecting should not use the same assumptions everywhere.
Two regions, two very different housing profiles
| Measure | North West | London |
|---|---|---|
| Total records | 2,241,566 | 2,639,163 |
| Houses | 1,548,033 (69.1%) | 851,563 (32.3%) |
| Flats | 510,435 (22.8%) | 1,596,038 (60.5%) |
| Bungalows | 162,177 | 32,730 |
| Maisonettes | 19,958 | 158,663 |
| Solar PV: Yes | 28,424 (1.3%) | 8,692 (0.3%) |
| Current EPC D or below* | 1,103,192 (49.2%) | 1,161,602 (44.0%) |
| Potential EPC A/B | 1,410,408 (62.9%) | 1,215,988 (46.1%) |
*Calculated from the displayed regional rating totals by grouping D, E and the remaining lower bands.
The North West is house-led; London is flat-led
About 69.1% of North West records are houses. In London, houses account for only 32.3%. London instead has 1,596,038 flat records, equivalent to 60.5% of the dataset.
This matters for home-improvement targeting. The usefulness of a solar, loft, roofing, wall or heating signal changes with property form, roof control, tenure and building configuration. A regional campaign should therefore be built around regional stock rather than copied nationally.
Potential EPC improvement is substantial in both datasets
North West records with potential rating A or B total 1,410,408; London totals 1,215,988. Combined, that is 2,626,396 records — 53.8% of the two-region dataset.
Methodology and sources
These figures describe records currently searchable within the EPC Atlas regional datasets. They are not official estimates of the total number of dwellings in a region and should not be read as a complete inventory of current housing stock. EPC registers can contain certificates issued at different points in time, including certificates that have expired or been replaced.
Government guidance confirms that bulk Energy Performance of Buildings data covers England and Wales and includes certificates registered since 2012, which may have expired or been replaced. Official statistics also caution that EPC-based figures are based on certificates lodged on the register rather than a complete census of every dwelling.
- GOV.UK — Get energy performance of buildings data
- GOV.UK — Energy Performance of Buildings Certificates statistics
- Greater London Authority — State of London: Environment
EPC Atlas uses EPC/property evidence as a prospecting indicator. It is not a building survey, guarantee of ownership, guarantee that work is required, or statement of installation suitability.