The position in Bedford
There are 2,871 unique commercial properties in Bedford with a certificate on the Energy Performance of Buildings Register. Of those, 2,089 – 72.8% – are rated below EPC B, which is 3.3 percentage points better than the England and Wales average of 76.1%.
The largest category locally is retail & financial services, and the postal towns and districts most represented are Bedford, Kempston, Wyboston, St. Neots, Stewartby. Average floor area is 810 m² and the average asset rating is 71.
590 certificates in the district have expired (20.6% of the total), of which 63 were rated F or G when issued – the least comfortable position on the register, and the one owners are least likely to know about.
Key figures
Band distribution
| Band | Properties | Share | Share, shown as a bar | vs England & Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 12 | 0.4% | +0.1 | |
| A | 155 | 5.4% | +1.3 | |
| B | 615 | 21.4% | +1.9 | |
| C | 958 | 33.4% | +0.2 | |
| D | 702 | 24.5% | -1.2 | |
| E | 334 | 11.6% | -1.3 | |
| F | 53 | 1.8% | -0.1 | |
| G | 42 | 1.5% | -1.0 |
Commercial stock by sector
| Sector | Properties | Share | Share, shown as a bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail & financial services | 879 | 30.6% | |
| Offices & workshops | 736 | 25.6% | |
| Restaurants, cafes & pubs | 336 | 11.7% | |
| Storage & distribution | 248 | 8.6% | |
| General & special industrial | 210 | 7.3% | |
| Education | 129 | 4.5% | |
| Hospitals & care homes | 90 | 3.1% | |
| Assembly & leisure | 64 | 2.2% |
Floor area – who the 2031 standard catches
The 2031 EPC B standard is expected to apply only to buildings over 1,000 m². In Bedford that line falls here:
| Floor area | Properties | Share | Share, shown as a bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 250 m² | 1,518 | 52.9% | |
| 250–500 m² | 553 | 19.3% | |
| 500–1,000 m² | 343 | 11.9% | |
| 1,000–2,500 m² | 262 | 9.1% | |
| 2,500–10,000 m² | 163 | 5.7% | |
| Over 10,000 m² | 32 | 1.1% |
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For editors and journalists
Quote – attributable to evenEco
Please attribute to evenEco and link to evenhub.uk/commercial/areas/bedford/. Figures derived from the GOV.UK Energy Performance of Buildings Register, deduplicated to the most recent certificate per property. Media enquiries: contact us.
Shareable summary – Bedford
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Commercial properties analysed | 2,871 |
| Below EPC B | 2,089 (72.8%) |
| Below EPC E – unlettable without exemption | 95 (3.3%) |
| Over 1,000 m² and below EPC B | 272 |
| Expired certificates | 590 (20.6%) |
| Average floor area | 810 m² |
| National rank (share below EPC B) | 252 of 319 |
Common questions
How many commercial properties in Bedford are below EPC B?
2,089 of 2,871 – 72.8% of the commercial stock on the register. That is 3.3 percentage points better than the England and Wales average of 76.1%.
How many buildings in Bedford are caught by the 2031 EPC B standard?
272 commercial buildings in Bedford are over 1,000 m² and currently rated below EPC B, which is the cohort the 2031 standard is aimed at.
How many commercial buildings in Bedford are already unlettable?
95 are rated F or G. Letting those without a registered exemption has been unlawful since 1 April 2023. A further 63 have an expired certificate that was rated F or G.
Where does Bedford rank nationally?
252 of 319 local authorities, ranked by the share of commercial stock below EPC B, with rank 1 being the highest share.
Local authorities with a similar profile
North Kesteven
73.2% below EPC B · 1,630 properties
See the data →Chorley
73.1% below EPC B · 1,631 properties
See the data →Epsom and Ewell
72.9% below EPC B · 1,048 properties
See the data →Havant
72.8% below EPC B · 1,719 properties
See the data →Trafford
72.7% below EPC B · 4,628 properties
See the data →Colchester
72.7% below EPC B · 3,000 properties
See the data →