Dear all.

The EU Commission published its strategy for a "renovation wave" to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in Europe. The renovation rate in the next ten years is to at least double. I was wondering what this means for home owners in France.

We are planning on buying a house in France and we need to know if we need to include renovation costs (roof, windows, heating system) in our budget. We are looking at older buildings, mostly classed as G or F. I read that houses classed G or F must be at least class E by 2028. I have no idea if that is accurate or what this would mean in investment. Is there more to come 😱? Is there financial support available? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

As far as I'm aware the government hasn't published any firm details of what legislation it intends to introduce in the years to come. For one thing, there is an election this year so the government and policies may change.

There is a national programme of support for home improvements in the form of grants and loans, details here https://www.service-public.fr/partic...vosdroits/N321
There may also be local schemes.
Most if not all schemes are only available for a principal residence (you don't say whether you are buying as a first or a second home), some are income related, there may be other terms and conditions attached. I once looked into a local Anah scheme (this is a long time ago, I don't think that particular scheme exists any more) but in the small print it said that if the property stopped being your principal residence within 10 years of completion of the works then you had to repay the whole of the grant. I had a google and discovered that some people had indeed been obliged to repay their grants. SInce I like to keep my future plans flexible I didn't go ahead, which as it turned out is just as well..
These things keep evolving, old schemes come to an end, new schemes are introduced, Once you find a house you are interested in you would need to find out at that stage exactly what criteria you can meet and what schemes you appear to be eligible for.

If the past is anything to go by then generally France does offer financial support to improve insulation For example I got a refund of several hundred euros from the impots for the work I had done so I can foresee that this will continue Be aware that the use of oil is being discouraged for home heating (so perhaps researching some alternatives) Many older rural houses are oil fired

Thank you both. We are planning on moving to France permanently in a few years. So I guess we could be eligible for financial support. I was hoping that the law is already written and enacted. But as long as there is no law it is difficult to include the consequences of such a law in our planning 😹

Anyhow, we decided to include renovation costs in our budget- just to be on the safe side. We will also pay attention to the classification of the houses we will look at.

It's my impression that laws are more prone to evolving in France than perhaps in the UK. Situations and needs are re-evaluated and the laws are tweaked and amended to reflect the changing situations and I suppose you could say, to follow the science.
When I moved to France they were giving "tax credits" for installing woodburners. Now they want people to get rid of their woodburners.
So there are laws in force now, and future targets set, and support schemes currently in force, but the laws in force two, five, ten, 15 years down the line will have evolved. Depending I suppose on the takeup, how effective measures are proving, whether France feels it is on course to meet its targets or whether it needs to step things up, whether the incentives are working and people are moving in the right direction or maybe the will is there but people are struggling financially and need more help.
I don't think you're going to get a law on this that will be set in stone for the next 10 years and strictly enforced everywhere, it's not really the French way. Just look at how long they've been trying to get all the fosses septiques up to standard and stop people dumping raw sewage dans la nature, and they're not there yet.

I could be wrong and others may disagree but that is my take on things.

Yes, if you’re buying an older F or G-rated home in France, you should absolutely factor renovation costs into your budget, as energy standards are tightening and inefficient homes face increasing pressure to upgrade. While the strictest rules currently affect rentals, the overall direction is toward higher efficiency. The good news is that financial support like MaPrimeRénov’ and other grants can help offset costs for insulation, windows, and heating improvements. It’s wise to review the energy rating carefully and plan upgrades early.

An interesting topic and my experience here with French bureaucracy has always been, "why keep it easy when it can be made complicated". Plus my many years with Mme TP certainly echo this.
I’m far from expert but this is my understanding of the subject topic:
The energy audit (audit énergétique) does not replace the energy performance certificate (DPE). The two documents are complementary and do not serve the same purpose.
The DPE is mandatory when selling or renting a property. It classifies the property according to two categories:
- an energy label (from A to G);
- a climate label (CO2 emissions).
With this, future landlords or buyers know what to expect: they have an idea of their future energy consumption and its impact on the environment. If the property is classified as F or G, it is referred to as a 'passssoire energetique' (energy sieve).

On the other hand the ‘audit energetique reglementaire’ provides additional information and is mandatory when selling an E, F, or G-rated home and allows prospective buyers to know precisely the nature and the cost of the work required to significantly improve the energy performance of the property. It complements the DPE, but does not replace it.

A little something that I should have added in my previous post:
Energy-efficient renovations are becoming increasingly popular with households thanks to government assistance programs such as MaPrimeRénov’, Energy Saving Certificates (CEE), and zero-interest eco-loans. Although these programs are valuable, they are often exploited by unscrupulous companies. Scams by solar panel 'specialists' in particular have been widespread, with seniors & retirees frequently being targeted.
One needs to be especially aware of the following: Promises of inflated or non-existent subsidies // Telemarketing (although prohibited) is still practiced // Contracts signed under pressure with unfair terms // Fraudulent creation of MaPrimeRénov’ accounts in your name // Work not carried out despite a deposit having been paid.
If in any doubt one should ask for advise and/or clarification at la mairie.
Another valuable site that prospective buyers should be aware of.

We actually ended up buying a newer house and are very happy with it. The energy class is D.

I am just so distrustful of governments now. I think they might force us to upgrade again and again by re- defining the energy efficiency classes. It is certainly a way to get us all spending our money and not leaving it in our bank account. Maybe I am paranoid 😳