What changes on 1 April 2023 when selling your property

Are you a homeowner looking to sell your property after 1 April 2023? This year is packed with changes brought about by the Climate and Resilience Act. Here is our overview of your property diagnostic obligations! 

Every single-family home or multi-unit building with a single owner rated F or G will have to provide an energy audit.

The goal: to put an end to energy sieves. From now on, a single-family home or a multi-unit building with an Energy Performance Certificate rated F or G will, in addition to the standard EPC, have to undergo an energy audit.

Don't have an Energy Performance Certificate for your property? RITMO-Diag offers EPCs at the best price.

This audit is more thorough. It will include a full list of the works to be carried out to enable an effective renovation. 

What is an "effective renovation"?

So what does the term "effective renovation", which should result from your energy audit, actually mean? 

Renovation works will be considered effective if they meet the following objectives: 

• Allow good air renewal 
• Ensure the building, or one of its parts, is rated in class A or B 
• Insulation works on walls, low ceilings and the roof 
• Replacement of external joinery such as windows and doors
• Efficient production of domestic hot water and heating

What is the deadline for carrying out the works? 

Carrying out the works is also subject to a time limit. Legifrance, our source for the text of article L111-1 paragraph 17bis, refers to a comprehensive and optimal renovation when the works arising from the energy audit are completed within:

• 18 months for a single dwelling
• 24 months for buildings with between 2 and 50 dwellings 
• 36 months for buildings with more than 50 dwellings.

Exceptions to the renovation criteria 

Not all buildings are equal when it comes to renovation works. The law therefore sets out specific cases in which certain buildings subject to urban planning or heritage constraints can still qualify as an effective renovation. 

Buildings classified as Monuments historiques

Buildings meeting heritage and urban planning criteria that comply with the rules and requirements laid down for Monuments historiques, listed buildings, and registered or classified sites

The financial criterion for renovations

Where the cost of the works would be disproportionate to the value of the property. The criteria for classifying a renovation as effective are then relaxed and may be satisfied by an improvement of at least two energy classes, even if this does not reach class B.

Who can carry out the energy audit? 

The audit, just like an EPC, must be carried out by a qualified and certified professional. It is of course specified that the expert must be independent and impartial when carrying out the audit and must therefore have no connection with the owner or the agent calling upon their services.

All professionals authorised to carry out an audit must also hold insurance covering the consequences of any liability they may incur.

Do you need to have an energy audit?

Having read this article, we think now is the time to ask yourself the question. Are you planning to put your property up for sale after 1 April 2023? It is time to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate, which will show you your property's rating.

In mainland France: If your rating is F or G, the audit is mandatory in order to proceed with the sale.

For the overseas territories: you still have some time, as the requirement for properties rated F or G to provide an energy audit will only take effect from 1 July 2024.

To obtain your Energy Performance Certificate, which is also a mandatory document to provide before a sale and which determines whether you are required to provide an energy audit for your property, you can request a price estimate on the RITMO-Diag website