A landlord renting an apartment classified as G in mainland France can no longer sign a new lease since January 1, 2025. For F-classified housing, the deadline is approaching. Between the revision of the energy performance diagnosis (DPE) scheduled for the end of 2026 and the adjustments to MaPrimeRénov’, the timeline is moving quickly. Here’s what we can anticipate right now, without waiting for all the texts to be finalized.
Revision of the DPE 2026: housing changing class without work
A decree published in the Official Journal, cited by Le Monde at the end of August 2026, modifies the calculation method for the energy performance diagnosis. The result: more than 300,000 housing units would exit the status of thermal sieve simply through recalculation, without a single insulating material being installed.
This correction particularly affects homes heated with electricity. The conversion coefficient applied to electricity is revised, which mechanically lowers the consumption displayed on the label. An apartment classified as F with electric convectors can thus switch to E.
For a landlord hesitant to start an insulation project, this information changes the game. Before incurring expenses, it is better to check if the housing will be affected by the new calculation. Having a DPE established with the revised method allows one to know if they remain a thermal sieve or if they automatically exit it.
Be careful, this reclassification does not mean that the housing consumes less. Heating bills remain the same. We are talking about an administrative change, not an improvement in comfort. For those considering energy renovation aid and actual work, it is better not to confuse statistical exit with physical exit from the problem.
MaPrimeRénov’ by gesture extended until 2027 for classes F and G
Decree No. 2026-822 of August 25, 2026, extends the MaPrimeRénov’ “by gesture” pathway for F and G housing in mainland France until December 31, 2027. The requirement to provide a DPE for this pathway is postponed to January 1, 2028.
In practical terms, a landlord can still request a grant for a single gesture (replacing a boiler, insulating attics) without going through a large-scale renovation. Several online sources suggested a quick shift to the accompanied pathway only, but the transitional period is indeed extended by two years.
What this changes for a project of work launched now
If one plans to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump in a housing classified as F, the gesture pathway remains accessible. There is no obligation to couple this intervention with wall insulation or a change of ventilation to receive the grant.
Feedback varies on this point, but the amount of the grant per gesture is often lower than what the accompanied pathway (large-scale renovation) allows. The question to ask is: does a single gesture suffice to raise the housing to class E, or is it necessary to combine several actions?
End of MaPrimeRénov’ by gesture for fossil heating single gestures from September 2026
Since September 1, 2026, gas boilers are no longer eligible for MaPrimeRénov’ by gesture. A landlord who simply wanted to replace their old gas boiler with a newer condensing model no longer benefits from a grant for this pathway.
This withdrawal directs funding towards two alternatives:
- Switch to a decarbonized equipment (heat pump, pellet stove, thermodynamic water heater) to remain eligible for the gesture pathway
- Opt for a large-scale renovation, the only pathway that still allows for the replacement of a fossil system within a funded work package
- Utilize energy savings certificates (CEE), which remain available for certain equipment even outside of MaPrimeRénov’
For a landlord whose housing is heated by gas and classified as F, the most effective strategy combines insulation and heating change within an accompanied pathway. A single gesture on fossil heating will simply no longer be supported.
Prohibition of renting class F: the real calendar and its gray areas
The prohibition on renting G-classified housing has been effective since January 2025 for new leases in mainland France. For class F, the deadline set by the Climate and Resilience law is January 1, 2028.
However, with the revision of the DPE, some F-classified housing will move to E. And 850,000 housing units have already been reclassified out of classes F and G as of January 1, 2026, according to data cited by Selectra. The actual scope of housing affected by the 2028 prohibition is therefore gradually decreasing.
When to act if renting a housing classified as F
An ongoing lease is not terminated by the prohibition. It is at the renewal or signing of a new lease that the DPE must display at least class E. If the current lease runs until 2029, the landlord has a de facto delay, but no guarantee: a tenant can demand compliance.
Two practical options:
- Have a new DPE conducted with the revised calculation to check if the housing exits class F without work
- If the housing remains in F, schedule the work before the lease renewal, combining insulation and ventilation to aim for class D (which protects until 2034)
- Anticipate the rent freeze: a housing classified as F or G cannot be subject to a rent increase, even indexed
Aiming for class D rather than class E: a defensible calculation
Getting a housing unit out of class F to just reach class E amounts to postponing the problem. The prohibition on renting E classes is scheduled for 2034. A landlord investing today in minimal renovation risks having to restart a project in less than ten years.
Directly moving to class D secures the housing for a much longer period. The additional cost compared to a simple jump from F to E depends on the building, but in a poorly insulated individual house, the difference often hinges on adding external wall insulation or replacing windows.
The accompanied MaPrimeRénov’ pathway finances up to 80% of the work for the lowest-income households when achieving a jump of two classes or more. The additional class gain is partially financed by the aid itself, which reduces the gap in remaining costs between minimal renovation and ambitious renovation.
The real trade-off is therefore less about the immediate budget than about the cost of inaction in the medium term: rent freeze maintained, depreciation at resale, new project to plan. A housing unit in class D retains its rental value and its asset value without any imminent regulatory deadline.
