paris-toits-immeubles-gris-hiver-soleil-matin-fene

Housing crisis: 50,000 new apartments banned from being rented in Paris

undefined undefined 7 janvier 2025 undefined 18h00

The Editor

© Pascale Gueret / Shutterstock

We all know that finding an apartment in Paris is almost mission impossible. And the situation isn’t likely to improve, since starting January 1, 2025, tens of thousands of homes have been removed from the rental market in Paris. Let us explain.

For a few years now, we’ve been getting ready for this, more specifically since the Climate and Resilience Law of 2021. Starting from early 2025, all homes classified as G on the energy performance scale, which are the most energy-consuming, will no longer be eligible for rental. This ban affects about 15% of available housing in Paris, and it might just intensify the competition in the apartment hunt.


Increasingly Strict Levels

Last year, G+ homes (those even worse than G, without bothering to add another letter to the scale) were already brought under the law. This year, it’s the G homes, now considered unsafe and unacceptable, that have become unrental. A restriction.

that applies to all apartments looking for tenants, but also to all lease renewals.

And while it's bad news for homeowners and those looking for an affordable roof over their heads, it's actually a good thing for the planet. The country isn't stopping there, as this law states that homes rated F will meet the same fate in 2028, and those rated E have until 2034 to get used to it. It's a somewhat dramatic situation that doesn’t seem likely to improve the housing crisis, and there’s only one solution: renovations.


Homeowners Lacking Motivation

To bring these 50,000 homes back into the Paris rental market, there’s only one way: energy renovations. But, according to the National Union of Property Owners, it seems like the motivation just isn’t there. (UNPI), half of the owners have no intention of doing any renovations in 2025. Some are waiting to see, while others are considering selling, just to pass the hot potato to someone else.

At the same time, when we know that the work can cost up to 50,000€, we can understand it. However, the State and the City of Paris have set up a number of financial aids to help and encourage property owners. And while nearly 2,000 homes have been renovated in 2024, with a goal of 14,000 in three years, unfortunately, these mostly consist of D or E class homes, which are much cheaper to bring up to standards. Well, that’s news that isn’t likely to help our situation…