17 St James Road, Watford, WD18 0DZ

17 St James Road is a one-bedroom end-of-terrace house in Watford (WD18 0DZ). It has a recorded floor area of 48 m² (around 517 sq ft), construction records dating it to 1900-1929 and council tax band B. Tenure is freehold. At 48 m² this is the smallest unit on EPC record across the building (48–120 m²). The building's EPC ratings span E to C, with this unit at the bottom. On EPC score it ranks last in the building (41 versus a best of 70). The latest certificate (September 2019) shows an E (score 41), well below the UK norm with real room to improve. When first surveyed in May 2009 the rating was G, the property has climbed 2 bands since. Between certificates, roof efficiency went from Very Poor to Good. The recommended improvements would lift it to C (score 69), a 2-band jump. Main heating runs on electricity.

Untraded for 20 years, with the last transfer in November 2006. At 48 m² it sits well below the postcode median (90 m² across 7 EPCs), making it one of the more compact homes locally. On energy efficiency it sits in the bottom 10% of properties in this postcode — significant headroom for improvement. Across 1998–2006, sale prices on this property compounded at 6% per year. Today's modelled estimate of £215,000 is 49.8% above the 2006 sale price. On a £-per-square-foot basis, the last sale (£278/sq ft) was about 76% above the typical sold price in the postcode. 2 planning records sit against the property, 1 approved, 1 refused.