France DPE 2025 Rental Ban FAQ: G-Class Property Restrictions

The Loi Climat et Résilience 2021 introduced a phased ban on the rental of energy-inefficient housing in France. Class G properties have been banned from new lettings since 1 January 2025. Class F follows from 2028 and class E from 2034. This FAQ collects the most common landlord and tenant questions about the DPE (Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique) rental ban as it operates in 2026.

Q1. What is a DPE?

The Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique is a standardised energy performance certificate produced by a certified diagnosticien immobilier. It rates the property from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) based on:

• Annual primary energy consumption (kWh/m²).
• Annual greenhouse gas emissions (kgCO₂eq/m²).

The DPE methodology was substantially revised in 2021 to align with EU EPBD requirements. A DPE issued before 1 July 2021 is invalid for legal purposes as of 1 January 2025 — a fresh DPE is required for any new lease or sale.

Source — Service-public.fr DPE: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16096

Q2. What is the rental ban schedule?

The ban applies to the conclusion or renewal of a lease — existing leases continue to their natural end. From the ban date, the property is “logement indécent” within the meaning of Loi 89-462 art. 6 and Décret n°2002-120.

Q3. What “G-class” means in practice

A class G property under the post-2021 DPE consumes more than 420 kWh/m²/year in primary energy or emits more than 100 kgCO₂eq/m²/year in greenhouse gases. This typically describes:

• Old buildings with no insulation.
• Properties heated with electric resistance heaters and poor insulation.
• Properties with single glazing and original 1960s–1980s insulation.

Approximately 600,000–700,000 housing units in France are estimated to fall into class G — roughly 5–7% of the total rental stock.

Q4. Can I still rent out my G-class property in 2026?

For new leases signed on or after 1 January 2025: No — the property is “indécent” and the lease is voidable on tenant action.

For existing leases that started before 1 January 2025: Yes, until the lease ends. But the tenant can use the indécence regime to require remedial works.

For renewal of an existing lease: No — the renewal is a new lease for ban purposes.

Q5. What does “indécent” mean in this context?

Under Loi 89-462 art. 6, a landlord must provide a “logement décent” — a property meeting basic standards of safety, health, and habitability. The performance criteria are set in Décret 2002-120, amended by Décret 2021-19 to add the energy threshold:

• From 1 January 2025: a property consuming more than 450 kWh of final energy per m² per year is presumed indécent.
• From 2028: F-class.
• From 2034: E-class.

A tenant of an indécent property can:

• Withhold a portion of rent (in proportion to the indécence) — after notifying the landlord and giving reasonable time for remediation.
• Bring proceedings before the tribunal judiciaire to compel remediation.
• Claim moral and material damages.

Q6. What happens if I sign a new lease for a G-class property after the ban date?

The lease is not automatically void but is vulnerable to tenant action. Specifically:

• The tenant can apply to the tribunal judiciaire to have the property declared indécent.
• The court can order the landlord to perform remedial works.
• The court can order rent reduction during the works.
• The tenant has the right to withhold rent in proportion until remediation is complete.

In practice, a tenant who knew the property was G-class on signing has weaker arguments — but the law does not require the tenant to know. The DPE is mandatory annexed to every lease (under Décret 2017-919), so the tenant always sees the rating.

Q7. What about furnished and short-term lets?

The ban applies to:

• Bail nu (unfurnished principal residence).
• Bail meublé (furnished principal residence).
• Bail mobilité (1–10 month furnished lets) — applies from same date.

The ban does not currently apply to:

• Locations saisonnières (holiday lets) — though hotel star-rating includes energy criteria.
• Bail commercial (commercial leases) — separate regime under Code de commerce.
• Bail rural (agricultural).

Q8. What does it cost to renovate a G-class property?

Typical refurbishment costs to lift a G-class property to E-class or above:

Costs vary widely with property size, location, and existing condition. Some properties (e.g., Haussmannian apartments in Paris) are particularly expensive due to historic-preservation constraints.

Q9. What financial support is available for renovation?

Several public schemes:

• MaPrimeRénov’ — direct grant from ANAH (Agence nationale de l’habitat). Means-tested; ranges from a few thousand euros to €70,000+ for the most ambitious works.
• Éco-PTZ — interest-free loan up to €50,000 for energy renovation.
• TVA réduit — 5.5% VAT on qualifying energy renovation works (instead of 20%).
• Aides locales — département and région may offer additional grants.

A property professional or France Rénov’ advisor can help identify the optimal stack of subsidies.

Source — France Rénov’: https://france-renov.gouv.fr/

Q10. Can I sell my G-class property instead?

Yes — the ban applies to letting, not to selling. However:

• DPE is mandatory in every sale.
• A G-class rating significantly affects the sale price (typical 5–15% discount).
• The Loi Climat 2021 art. 173 requires a “audit énergétique” for sales of class F or G properties — providing the buyer with a renovation roadmap and indicative costs. Mandatory since 1 April 2023 (F/G class) and 1 January 2025 (E class to follow on later commencement).

Q11. Does the ban affect rent levels?

No direct rent control under the ban — the ban affects whether you can let, not how much. However, indirectly:

• A G-class property cannot increase rent under the IRL until it has been improved (Loi 2022-217 art. 159).
• Tenant negotiating power is enhanced for properties near the threshold.

Q12. What is the role of the diagnostiqueur?

A DPE must be produced by a diagnostiqueur immobilier certifié by an organisme accrédité COFRAC. The certification is renewed every 5 years. The diagnostiqueur:

• Inspects the property.
• Records construction details, insulation, heating, ventilation.
• Computes the energy and emission scores.
• Issues the DPE certificate, valid for 10 years.

The cost is typically €100–€250 for an apartment and €200–€500 for a house. A DPE issued before 1 July 2021 is no longer valid for legal purposes.

Q13. Can I challenge a DPE rating?

A DPE can be challenged on procedural or technical grounds:

• The diagnostiqueur is not certified.
• The DPE relies on incorrect data (square footage, heating type).
• The methodology was misapplied.

A second DPE from a different diagnostiqueur, with corrected data, replaces the first. Disputes are rare in practice; the methodology is now standardised and disputes typically resolve through a re-issue.

Q14. What if my property is in a copropriété (apartment building)?

Apartments in copropriétés are subject to the same DPE rules. Common-area energy improvements (façade insulation, building heating) require collective decisions of the copropriété. This can take years.

For the individual apartment, internal improvements (windows, internal insulation, ventilation, electric heating replacement) are within the apartment owner’s control and can be done without copropriété approval (subject to the règlement de copropriété).

Q15. The MmowW Scrib🐮 Workflow

Cell #9 (FR Lease) integrates DPE rules into the lease creation:

• Verifies the DPE rating provided by the user against the ban schedule.
• Refuses to generate a new lease for a G-class property post-1 January 2025.
• Flags F-class and E-class properties with the relevant ban dates.
• Annexes the DPE to the lease as required by Décret 2017-919.
• Generates a renovation roadmap suggestion if the property is in F/G class.

The system tracks the validity of the DPE (10-year limit) and alerts the user when a renewal is needed before the next lease.

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Disclaimer

This article provides legal information, not legal advice. MmowW Scrib🐮 is a document preparation service operated by a licensed Gyoseishoshi (行政書士) office in Japan. We are not avocats, notaires, or experts-comptables.

Sources

• Loi Climat et Résilience 2021: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000043956924
• Service-public.fr — DPE: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16096
• Service-public.fr — passoires énergétiques: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A15848
• France Rénov’: https://france-renov.gouv.fr/