DPE 2026: The New Electric Coefficient That Moves 850,000 Homes Out of the 'Thermal Sieve' Category (France)

On January 1, 2026, the energy performance diagnostic (DPE) changed its logic for hundreds of thousands of electrically heated homes. No renovations, no new boiler, no double glazing installed in a hurry. Just a coefficient dropping from 2.3 to 1.9. And behind this figure lies a very concrete consequence: homes rated F or G, and therefore banned from rental, can jump to E, or even D, overnight.

If you own an all-electric apartment, or rent a home whose DPE lingers at the bottom of the scale, this reform directly affects you. It can change the property's rental value, its legality for leasing, and even the renovation strategy you had planned.

The 30-Second Answer

The electricity conversion coefficient in the DPE calculation is lowered from 2.3 to 1.9 starting January 1, 2026. In practice, an electrically heated home now consumes less primary energy on paper, which mechanically improves its rating. DPEs issued before this date remain valid, but you can request a free update, without a new visit, on the Ademe's DPE-Audit Observatory website. For an ongoing lease, the DPE shown in the contract remains the one provided at signing. However, if your home moves out of the thermal sieve category, this could reopen possibilities for renting or lease renewal.

Want to check if your lease contains DPE-related clauses that could cause problems? Submit your contract at https://bail.immo/ for a quick analysis.

What the Law Says

The decree of August 13, 2025, published in the Official Journal on August 26, 2025, amends Annex 3 of the decree of March 31, 2021, concerning the DPE. It replaces the conversion factor from final energy to primary energy for electricity, dropping from 2.3 to 1.9. This value aligns with the European coefficient.

To understand what this changes, you need to grasp the DPE's logic. The diagnostic measures the home's primary energy consumption, not just the energy you pay for on your bill. For electricity, a coefficient of 2.3 was applied until now: each kWh consumed counted as 2.3 kWh of primary energy, on the grounds that this electricity had to be produced and transported. Gas and wood, on the other hand, have a coefficient of 1.

With the new coefficient of 1.9, the gap narrows. An all-electric home sees its calculated primary energy consumption drop by about 17% at the same actual consumption. This is enough to push many homes up an energy class, especially those on the border between E and F, or F and G.

The public service estimates that this measure could affect around 850,000 homes. Not a statistical anecdote: a real status shift for part of the rental stock.

Why This Could Be a Problem

The DPE is not just an informational document. Since the Climate and Resilience Law, it determines the very possibility of renting. Homes rated G have been banned from rental since January 1, 2025. Homes rated F will be banned from January 1, 2028. Homes rated E will follow in 2034.

However, many owners have received unfavorable DPEs in recent years, often due to the 2.3 coefficient that penalized electricity. Some have undertaken costly renovations, others have withdrawn their property from the rental market, and others still have signed leases with clauses requiring tenant-paid work or rent increases tied to DPE improvements.

The coefficient change reshuffles the deck. A home rated G in 2024 could find itself rated F, or even E, in 2026, without any work being done. For the owner, this is good news: the property becomes rentable again, or remains so for longer. For the tenant, it's more ambiguous. A DPE that improves on paper does not change the reality of the walls, insulation, or electricity bills. And if the lease contains a clause linking rent or work to the energy rating, the new DPE can alter the contractual balance.

Let's take a concrete example. An owner signed a lease in 2024 for a 45 m² apartment heated with electric radiators, rated G. The lease mentions the DPE G, as required by law. The owner plans insulation work to escape the thermal sieve status before the ban deadline. In January 2026, he requests the free DPE update: the home moves to F, then to E after a slight improvement. The planned work becomes partially unnecessary. But the tenant continues to pay high electricity bills. The DPE improved on paper, not in daily life.

Another case: a lease signed in 2025 with a DPE G. The home is theoretically banned from rental since January 1, 2025, but the lease was concluded before the DPE update. If the new DPE rates the home F, does the lease become retroactively valid? The answer is not simple. The DPE provided at signing remains the one in the contract. But the owner can produce a new DPE for subsequent steps, such as lease renewal or renting to a new tenant.

Exceptions to Know

Not all homes are affected in the same way.

Existing DPEs remain valid. A DPE issued before January 1, 2026, with the old coefficient of 2.3 retains its validity for 10 years. You are not required to redo it. The update is an option, not an obligation.

The free update is only possible if the new calculation improves the rating. If your home stays in the same class, or if the new coefficient lowers the rating (a rare but possible case for certain mixed uses), the update has no immediate benefit.

Homes heated with gas or wood are not affected. The coefficient of 1 for these energies does not change. Only homes whose primary heating is electric, or that use a heat pump, see their calculation modified.

DPEs conducted for sales follow the same rules. The new coefficient applies to DPEs issued from January 1, 2026, whether for rental or sale.

Ongoing leases are not automatically modified. The DPE mentioned in the lease remains the one provided at signing. No legal provision requires the owner to provide a new DPE during the lease, unless the lease is renewed or a new tenant moves in.

Checklist: What to Do After January 1, 2026

Check the issue date of your DPE. If it predates January 1, 2026, it uses the old coefficient.
Identify the home's primary heating method. Electric, heat pump, gas, wood?
If the home is electrically heated and rated F or G, request the free update on the Ademe's DPE-Audit Observatory website.
Compare the old and new ratings. If the home moves out of the thermal sieve category, keep a copy of the new DPE.
If you're an owner and the home becomes rentable again, check the rental conditions: updated DPE, mention in the lease, tenant information.
If you're a tenant and your home's DPE improves, don't expect a drop in charges. The new coefficient does not change your actual consumption.
If your lease contains a DPE-related clause (work, rent, termination), review it in light of the new rating. A clause that conditions an obligation on an F or G rating may become moot.

Unsure about a clause in your lease related to the DPE or work? Analyze your contract at https://bail.immo/ to spot potential issues.

Possible Actions

For the owner:

Request the free DPE update if your home is electrically heated and rated F or G. It's quick, no visit needed, and it can change the property's rental status.
If the home moves out of the thermal sieve category, you can put it back on the rental market or extend an existing lease without immediate work.
Keep the new DPE in the property file. It will be required for any new rental or lease renewal.
If you had planned work to escape the thermal sieve status, reassess its urgency. The new coefficient can buy you time, but it doesn't eliminate the need to improve insulation in the long run.

For the tenant:

Check the DPE mentioned in your lease. If it's rated F or G and the home is electrically heated, the new coefficient may improve the rating.
Don't confuse energy rating with real comfort. A DPE moving from G to E doesn't change the temperature of the walls in winter.
If your owner offers a lease amendment related to the new DPE, read it carefully. An improved rating does not automatically justify a rent increase.
If you're looking for a new home, ask for the updated DPE. A home rated E or F with the new coefficient may be more attractive than one rated D with the old one.

FAQ

My DPE dates from 2024 and rates my home G. Do I need to redo it? No. Your DPE remains valid for 10 years. But you can request a free update if the home is electrically heated and the new coefficient improves the rating.

Is the free update automatic? No. You must request it on the Ademe's DPE-Audit Observatory website. No new visit from the diagnostician is needed.

Does the new coefficient apply to DPEs issued before January 1, 2026? No. DPEs issued before this date retain the old coefficient of 2.3. Only DPEs issued from January 1, 2026, incorporate the coefficient of 1.9.

My home is heated with gas. Am I affected? No. The conversion coefficient for gas remains at 1. The reform only concerns electricity.

Can the new DPE modify my ongoing lease? No. The DPE mentioned in the lease remains the one provided at signing. The owner is not required to provide a new DPE during the lease, except in case of renewal or new rental.

Can a home rated G with the old coefficient be rented after January 1, 2026? If the new DPE rates the home F or better, the owner can produce this new DPE to justify the rental. But the lease signed with the old DPE G remains subject to the rules applicable at the signing date.

Sources

Legal Information

The information presented on this page is provided for informational purposes and is based on the texts and sources available at the time of its publication or last update. Legislation, regulations, and case law may evolve at any time. The results and explanations offered by bail.immo do not constitute legal advice and do not replace the opinion of a lawyer or another competent legal professional.