DPE and moving: how the reform of the energy assessment affects tenants

The DPE and moving will be closely linked from January 1, 2026. A reform of the energy performance diagnosis calculation changes the game for hundreds of thousands of homes, with direct consequences for rental, purchase or moving projects. Here’s what to know before planning your next change of address.

A new calculation method favorable to electric heating

An order published in late August 2025 by the Ministries of the Economy and of Ecological Transition modifies the electricity conversion coefficient used in the DPE calculation. This coefficient, previously set at 2.3, becomes 1.9 as of January 1, 2026, in order to better reflect the growing share of decarbonized electricity in France's energy mix. Concretely, for many electrically heated homes, the energy rating improves by one to two classes, without any work having been carried out. According to several energy assessors and brokers, around 850,000 homes could thus see their label improve.

This mechanism directly interests households actively searching for housing: a property judged too energy-consuming yesterday may become eligible for rent as soon as next month, which widens the choice when selecting their future home.

Energy-inefficient properties soon back on the rental market

The DPE reform is accompanied by a second, more political initiative: the housing revival bill, adopted at first reading by the Senate on July 8, 2026. It aims to put back on the rental market nearly 700,000 dwellings rated F or G, banned from being rented since January 1, 2025. According to the text, owners could be allowed to re-let these properties provided they commit, by signed contract, to carry out energy renovation work within a set timeframe: three years for a detached house, five years for an apartment in a co-ownership.

For tenants, this development represents a breath of fresh air in large cities where supply has tightened since the ban on energy-inefficient properties. It could also limit some forced moves, those that tenants have had to make because they could not renew their lease on a property rated G.

What this means in practical terms for a move

For anyone preparing to change housing in the coming months, three points should be checked before signing:

• Ask for the date of the last DPE performed: a diagnosis carried out before 2026 may not yet include the new coefficient, so the rating shown in the listing may not be up to date.
• Verify, for a property rated F or G offered for rent, the existence of a contract for renovation work undertaken by the owner, an essential condition for legally returning it to the market.
• Anticipate the impact on the overall budget: a better-rated property also affects the rate and terms of a mortgage, with banks increasingly incorporating energy performance into their risk analysis.

On the logistical side, these regulatory changes also affect companies in the sector: the new obligations imposed on moving trucks, between tachograph and low-emission zones, add to an already changing framework for furniture transport professionals. A factor to keep in mind when comparing quotes, especially when the period chosen to move coincides with a demand peak.

Ultimately, the DPE reform and the controlled easing of the rental of energy-inefficient properties outline a more fluid market for 2026: more properties available, but additional checks to carry out before signing any lease or scheduling any move.

Frequently asked questions

Does the new 2026 DPE apply automatically to all dwellings?

No. The coefficient change applies only to DPEs carried out or recalculated from January 1, 2026. A diagnosis established before that date remains valid until its legal expiry, unless the owner has it redone.

Can a property rated G be re-let from 2026?

Only if the bill before the Senate is definitively adopted and if the owner contractually commits to carrying out the works within the set deadlines. As long as the text is not promulgated, the ban on renting G-rated properties remains in force.

Should you redo your DPE before putting a property up for rent or sale?

It is not mandatory if the current valid diagnosis has not expired, but it can be useful for an electrically heated property close to a class threshold, in order to reflect the new calculation method and facilitate renting or selling.

Sources

• Ministry of the Economy — A new DPE on January 1, 2026
• Cabinet Kohen Avocats — Energy-inefficient properties and DPE rental 2026
• La Bellenergie — DPE reform 2026, 850,000 dwellings reclassified

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy