France DPE Rental Ban: G 2025, F 2028, E 2034 Timeline

The Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique (DPE) is no longer a paperwork formality. Since the Loi Climat et Résilience 2021 (Loi n°2021-1104), the DPE class assigned to a rental property determines whether it can lawfully be put on the market at all. Three dates structure the next decade for French landlords: 1 January 2025 (Class G banned), 1 January 2028 (Class F banned), 1 January 2034 (Class E banned). This article walks through the legal architecture, the métropole vs outre-mer schedule, the existing rent-freeze for F/G properties, and the practical workflow for landlords with passoires énergétiques.

1. The Legal Architecture

The ban is anchored in Loi n°89-462 art. 6 al. 4 as inserted by Loi Climat et Résilience 2021 art. 160. The provision works through the concept of décence (decency): a residential property is “decent” if, among other things, it does not exceed a defined level of primary-energy consumption. Renting non-decent housing is prohibited under the long-standing art. 6, with the new energy criterion overlaid.

The implementing decree is Décret n°2023-796 du 18 août 2023, which sets the métropole and outre-mer schedules. Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/decret/2023/8/18/TREL2224229D/jo/texte

Two tools work together:

• The DPE class itself — A (best) through G (worst) — produced by a certified diagnostician under Code de la construction et de l’habitation (CCH) art. L.126-26 to L.126-35;
• The schedule of bans — applies the relevant class as a seuil de décence on a moving date.

2. The Métropole Timeline

Source: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/diagnostic-performance-energetique-dpe

Critical nuance for landlords: the start date applies to new leases (signature) or tacit renewal — leases already in force when the date arrives are not retroactively prohibited but cannot be renewed for the same energy class.

3. The Outre-Mer Timeline (Décret n°2023-796)

Overseas departments and collectivities follow a delayed schedule reflecting the slower DPE methodology rollout:

4. The Existing F/G Rent Freeze (Already in Force)

Since 24 August 2022, F/G properties cannot have their rent indexed on the IRL or increased on relet. This is Loi 89-462 art. 17-2 as inserted by Loi Climat 2021. The freeze applies regardless of the lease’s signature date — even leases signed in 2010 cannot have an IRL revision applied if the property is class F or G.

Practical implication: the freeze hits cash flow first; the ban hits asset value next.

5. What Counts as a “New Lease” for the Ban?

The Loi Climat schedule applies on:

• Signature of a new bail nu, bail meublé, or bail mobilité;
• Tacit renewal of any of the above (Loi 89-462 art. 10 — bail nu renewal automatic if no notice given 6 months before end);
• Renewal under Loi 89-462 art. 10 al. 3 — the explicit renewal that some landlords use to update rent;
• Same tenant continuing — the date of renewal is the relevant event, not the original date of entry.

It does NOT apply on:

• Continuation of an in-force lease without renewal;
• Sub-letting under art. 8 (the head lease’s status governs).

6. The Audit Énergétique — A Different Obligation

Distinct from the rental ban, Loi Climat art. 165 introduced an audit énergétique obligation for the sale of class F/G housing:

• 1 April 2023: F/G mandatory audit at sale (replaced by 1 January 2025 G);
• 1 January 2025: F mandatory at sale;
• 1 January 2034: E mandatory.

The audit lists feasible retrofit scenarios with cost estimates and projected DPE class improvement. Cost: €500–€1,500 typical. Required at any sale offer (offre de vente) and during the notarial process.

7. The DPE Methodology — Why So Many Properties Fell

The DPE was reformulated in 1 July 2021 under Décret n°2020-1610 to:

• Use a dual-criterion approach: primary energy + greenhouse-gas emissions, the worst of the two determines the class;
• Become opposable (legally binding on the landlord) — tenants can sue for damages if real consumption substantially exceeds the diagnostic;
• Apply uniformly across France (replacing the older “method on bills” used for low-consumption housing).

The reformulation reclassified roughly 1.6 million housing units into worse categories overnight. Many landlords discovered they owned passoires énergétiques. Source: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A14608

8. Workflow for a Landlord with a F/G Property

Step 1 — Run a fresh DPE if the certificate is older than 2021

DPE certificates dated before 1 July 2021 are valid until 31 December 2024 only (transitional Décret n°2020-1610). Post-2021 DPEs are valid 10 years.

Step 2 — Decide: retrofit, sell, or stop renting

Three options:

• Retrofit to E or better → MaPrimeRénov’ subsidy via ANAH (https://www.maprimerenov.gouv.fr/);
• Sell with audit énergétique (cost €500–€1,500 borne by seller);
• Stop renting at the next renewal — convert to vacant or to another use.

Step 3 — Plan the retrofit financing

Available aides as of 2026:

• MaPrimeRénov’ — refonte 2024, capped € based on income tier and works;
• Eco-PTZ — interest-free loan up to €50,000 for whole-house renovation;
• CEE (Certificats d’économie d’énergie) — third-party-financed insulation/heating works;
• TVA réduite à 5,5% for energy-improving works under CGI art. 278-0 bis.

Step 4 — Re-run DPE post-works

A new DPE is required to certify the new class. Only the post-works DPE counts toward the rental-ban schedule.

Step 5 — Update the lease at renewal

If the renewal occurs after retrofit, the new class can be referenced in the bail and DDT (Dossier de Diagnostic Technique) under Loi 89-462 art. 3-3.

9. Tenant Remedies if Landlord Rents an Illegal Property

If a landlord signs a new bail on a banned-class property after the relevant date:

• Lease may be challenged under art. 6 (logement non décent) — tenant may demand rent reduction or works;
• Municipality may intervene under CCH L.521-1;
• Tribunal judiciaire may order works or rescission;
• Tenant rent-reduction action has typically taken 6–12 months in case law.

10. Common Mistakes

• Renewing a F lease in 2026 thinking the 2028 ban applies later — the 2028 ban applies to new leases or renewals in 2028 and after. A 2026 renewal of an F is still legal, but cannot be renewed in 2028.
• Indexing rent on a F/G property since 2022 — IRL revision is frozen since 24 August 2022 (art. 17-2). Tenants can demand reimbursement.
• Using a pre-1 July 2021 DPE certificate after 31 December 2024 — invalid.
• Treating the audit énergétique as same as DPE — different document, different obligation, different trigger.
• Forgetting outre-mer specific schedule — métropole dates do not apply.

11. The Five-Year Outlook

Government modeling estimates 3.5 million housing units classed F/G in 2024, dropping to roughly 2.0 million by 2028 through retrofit + sale + exit-from-rental. The expected market response: F/G prices have already discounted 8–15% vs comparable D/E properties since 2022. The ban is now priced into French residential.

For a landlord deciding whether to retrofit, the calculation is no longer about heating bills. It is about whether the property remains an asset at all.

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Disclaimer

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Sources

1. Loi n°89-462 du 6 juillet 1989 — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000000509310
2. Décret n°2023-796 (DPE Outre-mer + adaptations) — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/decret/2023/8/18/TREL2224229D/jo/texte
3. Ministère de la Transition écologique — DPE/passoires — https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/diagnostic-performance-energetique-dpe
4. Service-public — DPE actualité — https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A14608
5. Loi 89-462 art. 12 (effective dates) — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/article_lc/LEGIARTI000028806645/2026-02-09