Energy performance certificate (EPC / DPE)
A mandatory document rating a property's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on a scale from A (highest performance) to G (worst). Since 2021 it is legally binding. F and G-rated properties face phased rental bans, directly affecting asset valuation and banks' rental risk assessment.
Key points
- Mandatory at every sale or rental since 2006, legally binding since 2021.
- F and G-rated properties face a phased rental ban.
- A poor DPE can reduce market value and the rental income a bank will count.
- The DPE guides access to renovation aids: eco-PTZ, MaPrimeRénov', CEE.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the DPE affect a bank's risk assessment on a buy-to-let file?
A poorly rated property (F or G) may become unrentable due to the phased bans, eliminating the rental income stream used to repay the loan. Some banks apply a haircut on the property value or rental income counted in the debt ratio, and some already decline to finance G-rated properties.
How can a buyer challenge a DPE they believe is incorrect?
Since the DPE became legally binding in 2021, the buyer can hold the diagnostician liable if an error is proven and caused harm. The recommended approach is to commission a second DPE from another certified professional to obtain a contradictory result, before potentially taking legal action.
How long is a DPE valid and when must it be renewed?
A DPE is valid for ten years from its date of issue. However, DPEs carried out between 2013 and 2017 were permanently invalidated on 1 January 2023, and those from 2018 to June 2021 expired on 1 January 2025; they must therefore be redone for any sale or rental.
In practice
An investor wants to buy a rental building where three flats are rated G. The broker flags that these cannot be rented since 2025 and recalculates net yield by excluding them from the financing plan.
Official sources
- Energy performance diagnosis (DPE) · Service-Public.gouv.fr
- Carrying out a DPE or energy audit · France Rénov'
- Sale agreement and loan condition precedent · Service-Public.gouv.fr