40a, First Floor Flat, Lorne Street, Stoke On Trent, ST6 1AR

40a is a one-bedroom semi-detached house in Stoke On Trent (ST6 1AR). It has a recorded floor area of 45 m² (around 484 sq ft), construction records dating it to 1900-1929 and council tax band A. The latest certificate (September 2018) shows a D (score 67), on the cusp of jumping into the C band. When first surveyed in December 2008 the rating was F, the property has climbed 2 bands since. Between certificates, roof efficiency went from Very Poor to Average, hot-water efficiency went from Very Poor to Good and lighting went from Good to Very Good; while window efficiency dropped from Good to Average. The recommended improvements would push it to C (score 77).

Held since May 2001 — that's 25 years off the open market, well above the local norm. Only one transfer is on record with HM Land Registry, suggesting it has stayed in the same hands for a long time. Today's modelled estimate of £115,000 sits 422.7% above the 2001 sale of £22,000. On a £-per-square-foot basis, the last sale (£45/sq ft) was about 26.1% below the postcode norm. At 45 m² it sits well below the postcode median (71 m² across 33 EPCs), making it one of the more compact homes locally.