Fareham House, Flat 21, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1DZ

Fareham House is a one-bedroom mid-terrace house in Hemel Hempstead (HP1 1DZ). It has a recorded floor area of 39 m² (around 420 sq ft), construction records dating it to 1950-1966 and council tax band A. The latest certificate (August 2018) shows an E (score 42), well below the UK norm with real room to improve. When first surveyed in April 2009 the rating was G, the property has climbed 2 bands since. Between certificates, lighting went from Very Poor to Very Good and main heating went from Very Poor to Average; while wall efficiency dropped from Good to Poor. The recommended improvements would lift it to C (score 76), a 2-band jump. Main heating runs on electricity. At 39 m² this is the 10th smallest of 25 units on EPC record in Fareham House, where floor areas span 36–88 m². The building's EPC ratings span G to C across 25 units on file.

It hasn't traded since September 2007, a hold of 19 years that's notably long for the area. That sale landed at the peak of the pre-credit-crunch market, which is a useful reference point when interpreting the price. Across 1996–2007, sale prices on this property compounded at 15.9% per year. Today's modelled estimate of £140,000 sits 70.7% above the 2007 sale of £82,000. On a £-per-square-foot basis, the last sale (£195/sq ft) was about 48.1% above the typical sold price in the postcode. At 39 m² it sits well below the postcode median (57 m² across 24 EPCs), making it one of the more compact homes locally. It lags the bulk of the postcode on energy efficiency (less efficient than 75% of similar EPCs).