Having work carried out at home is about to change. From August 2026, telephone solicitation for energy renovation will shift to a default ban: without the consumer's explicit prior agreement, any commercial call becomes illegal. This measure, enacted by the law of 30 June 2025, aims to close the main entry point for scams by bogus tradespeople, as fraud reports have exploded over the past two years.
A shift toward prior consent
Until now, a professional could solicit an individual by phone as long as that person had not registered on the Bloctel opt-out list. The new system reverses the logic: it is now up to the consumer to give their prior consent to be contacted. Without this explicit green light, a commercial call becomes an offense, punishable in the same way as other misleading commercial practices. For households, it's a concrete change: an unsolicited call offering a “free” energy audit or a one-euro insulation installation must now be considered suspicious by default.
An explosion in fraud reports
The tightening of the rule responds to a quantified reality. According to the DGCCRF, nearly 26,000 reports specifically related to energy renovation were recorded in 2024 on the Signal Conso platform. More broadly, across all types of fraud, suspected cases reported by the French reached 460,000 in 2025, an increase of 70% compared with 2023 — with telephone solicitation remaining, year after year, the main reason for complaints.
- Bogus tradespeople operating without a SIRET number or ten-year liability insurance, disappearing after cashing the deposit
- Promises of “guaranteed” public aid or “almost free” work without verification of actual eligibility
- Vague estimates, lack of written contract, or signatures obtained under pressure at the home
- Usurpation of labels or the identity of public bodies to reassure the victim
Strengthened inspections and sanctions
Alongside the solicitation measure, on-site inspections have intensified. Around 1,000 establishments in the energy renovation sector were inspected in 2024, 20% more than in 2023, revealing serious breaches in 34% of the professionals checked. These inspections resulted in more than 50 administrative fines and more than 140 criminal reports. At the national level, across all sectors, the total amount of sanctions imposed by the DGCCRF rose from €80 million in 2023 to €200 million in 2024, and nearly two million non-compliant products were removed from the market, notably on online sales platforms.
How to protect yourself before signing a quote
Beyond the new legal framework, a few simple habits can help avoid most of the scams observed by the authorities:
- Check the company's SIRET number and its ten-year liability insurance on Societe.com or Infogreffe before committing
- Demand an RGE label if public aid is sought, and never sign before receiving official confirmation of eligibility
- Be wary of any signature requested urgently, especially during doorstep or telephone solicitation
- Ask for a detailed written estimate and limit the amount of the deposit paid before work begins
- Report any suspicious behavior on Signal Conso, the DGCCRF's platform open to all consumers
Frequently asked questions
Does the telephone solicitation rule apply to all types of work?
The shift to mandatory prior consent primarily targets the energy renovation sector, the main source of complaints identified by the DGCCRF, but it is part of a broader move to strengthen the regulation of commercial telephone solicitation.
What should I do if I receive an unsolicited call after the measure comes into effect?
The call can be reported directly on the DGCCRF's Signal Conso platform, which centralizes complaints and feeds the investigations and inspections carried out with the companies concerned.
How can I verify that a tradesperson soliciting me is reliable?
It is recommended to check their SIRET number and ten-year liability insurance on Societe.com or Infogreffe, to request a detailed written estimate, and to never pay a large deposit before the work actually begins.
Sources
Hellowatt – Fraudes à la rénovation et démarchage : ce qui change en août 2026
Koliving – Arnaques à la rénovation énergétique : 26 000 signalements
Procivis – Rénovation énergétique et arnaques : ce qui change en 2026
To learn more about organizing your renovation work, possible remedies in case of a dispute fall under law and justice, while these precautionary habits fit more broadly into everyday practical life.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy
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