To be able to be rented, an apartment or a house must respect criteria of decency imposed by the law. Back on the conditions of decent housing and their evolution in 2023 in terms of energy performance.

To be rented, an apartment or a house must be decent. This means that the owner undertakes to provide housing that does not jeopardize the safety and health of the tenants and guarantees certain conditions of comfort to its inhabitants. For this, a decent dwelling must meet five criteria set by law: a minimum surface area, the absence of risk for the safety and health of the tenant, the absence of vermin and parasites, a minimum energy performance, provision of certain equipment. If the accommodation does not tick all these boxes, then it is considered to be non-decent accommodation and the tenant has recourse. But beware, the accommodation must be decent not only at the time of signing the inventory of fixtures. Starter , but also throughout the lease.

What conditions must a home meet to be rented?

Five specific criteria are used to qualify the decency or indecency of a dwelling:

• The surface of the accommodation must be at least 9 m²
• The accommodation must be closed and covered, protected from infiltration, compliance with gas and electricity standards, ventilation, natural lighting, safety devices, etc.
• The accommodation must not be infested by pests or parasites (such as rats, bed bugs, cockroaches, etc.)
• The accommodation must be equipped with heater , drinking water supply, waste water disposal facilities, kitchen, indoor sanitary facilities, electrical network
• The dwelling must have a minimum energy performance

How will energy performance criteria evolve in 2023?

With the desire to prohibit the rental of so-called 'energy strainers' housing, the government aims to change its criteria in terms of energy performance by 2025. To As of January 1, 2023, a dwelling will be qualified as energy decent when its energy consumption (heating, lighting , hot water, ventilation, cooling, etc., estimated by the DPE will be less than 450 kWh/m² in France. The most energy-intensive dwellings, whose energy consumption exceeds this value, will be considered indecent and can no longer be offered for rental. However, this new requirement will only concern new rental contracts entered into after January 1, 2023.

How can a tenant demand decent housing?

If the rented accommodation does not meet the standards of decency imposed by law, a tenant can legitimately require his landlord to carry out work to bring them into compliance . If the landlord were to turn a deaf ear, the tenant has several solutions to convince him, but beware, an appeal for compliance can be long. Decent housing or not, the tenant must continue to pay his rent, unless authorized by a court order.

Source journaldesfemmes.fr