In 2022, the new DPE (Diagnostic de performance énergétique) will require homes to have impeccable energy consumption. Whether to be sold or rented they must be well rated.
Mandatory for sales since November 2006 and for rentals since July 2007, the energy performance diagnosis (DPE) provides information on the energy consumption of the home and the related greenhouse gas emissions. Since July 1, 2021, a new, more complete and more readable version is in force. With all the consequences that this implies if you plan to sell or rent your home.
September 1, 2022
Owners of a house or building classified as F or G will be obliged to carry out an energy audit if they wish to sell their property.
Mandatory mention
The DPE is at the top of the list of diagnostics to be carried out when selling or renting a new or old property. Established at the initiative of the owner, this mandatory document has four main objectives: to inform future tenants or buyers, to compare housing between them, to encourage to carry out energy saving work and to identify energy-intensive housing. Its new presentation, clearer and more understandable, allows households to better anticipate their energy budget and to see in figures the savings resulting from appropriate thermal renovation work, by comparing properties of different categories. Buyers and tenants can thus have all the information they need at a glance.
From now on, real estate advertisements must include: an energy label, a climate label, an estimate of the energy bill (heating, hot water, cooling, lighting...). In addition, the DPE has been enriched with new information such as details of heat loss, a precise description of the state of the building's insulation and ventilation system, information on the energy efficiency of the building, and a description of the energy consumption of the building.
A private individual who forgets to indicate this information in his ad risks a fine of 3 000 €. For a real estate professional, the penalty is higher. It amounts to 3 000 € for a natural person and 15 000 € for a legal person.
Often decisive
Nearly 9 out of 10 French people consider the DPE to be an important or even essential criterion in their purchasing decision (for 34%)
Source: BVA study from November 24 to 25, 2021
Do the math
In order to make the DPE more reliable and more complete, the calculation method has been completely revised. Since July 1, 2021, it has been unified for all housing and the calculation on the invoice has been eliminated. This puts an end to the practice of blank ECDs. The new regulation is based on the method known as "3CL" (Calculation of the Conventional Consumption of Housing). The professionals carrying out the diagnosis rely solely on the physical characteristics of the property such as the building, the quality of insulation, the type of windows or the heating system. The energy classification also takes into account its geographical location, its altitude, its year of construction ... According to these criteria, housing is classified in a decreasing manner as follows
- class A (extremely efficient housing): less than 70 kWh/m²/year and 6 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class B (very efficient housing): from 70 to 110 kWh/m²/year and from 6 to 11 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class C (fairly efficient housing): from 110 to 180 kWh/m²/year and from 11 to 30 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class D (fairly low-performance housing): from 180 to 250 kWh/m²/year and from 30 to 50 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class E (low-performance housing): from 250 to 330 kWh/m²/year and from 50 to 70 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class F (very poorly performing housing): from 330 to 420 kWh/m²/year and from 70 to 100 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class G (extremely poorly performing housing): more than 420 kWh/m²/year and more than 100 kg CO2/m²/year
Eco-irreproachable housing
The ambition of public authorities is clear. The "thermal flats" must disappear by 2028. Currently, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, France has 4.8 million of them, including more than 2 million rented. But well before this deadline, the government is already putting in place measures to sanction owners who have not done the necessary renovation work. The Climate and Resilience Act sets a first deadline of January 1, 2023, when housing with consumption exceeding 450 kilowatt hours/sq.m/year will be banned from being rented. This represents a large part of the housing classified F and G. Already, from August 2022, these "bad pupils" will no longer be able to have their rent increased when they are re-rented or when they renew their lease.
Another threshold will be crossed in 2025. A minimum level of energy performance will then have to be respected for the housing to be qualified as decent. Initially, housing rated G will be concerned. Very quickly followed by those rated F (in 2028) then E (in 2034). The tenant will be able to demand that the landlord carry out the necessary work to bring the accommodation into compliance.
- To note
- For housing classified F and G, the sale or rental ads must specify "housing with excessive energy consumption".
Raise your grades
It is not because the diagnosis is bad at a moment T that all is lost. It is possible to improve your "score" from 1 to 3 letters by doing the right work. If you are afraid of the cost, don't forget that there are many grants available. The most emblematic being MaPrime Rénov'. All owners and co-owners can benefit from it without any means test. Whether they are occupants or landlords, it helps finance up to 90% of certain types of work: installation of new heating, insulation, installation of ventilation or even an energy audit. It is a flat rate and varies according to the household income, its composition and the location of the dwelling. This gives 4 profiles/colors:
- MaPrime Rénov' blue (households with very modest resources).
- MaPrime Rénov' yellow (households with modest resources).
- MaPrime Rénov' purple (households with intermediate resources).
- MaPrime Rénov' pink (households with greater resources).
Each profile has its own amount of premium, depending on the work involved. A fifth is dedicated to work in the common areas of condominiums.
Perhaps you can also benefit from the Eco-PTZ. Since January 1, 2022, owners and co-owners who undertake energy renovation work in the housing they occupy or rent, can borrow up to 50 000 € without interest. Obtaining this loan depends on the work planned, which must allow an improvement in energy performance of at least 35%.
Marie-Christine MENOIRE