Energy Decency 2026: The Documents Every French Landlord Must Provide
Energy performance is no longer just a label on a listing — since the loi Climat et Résilience, it is part of the legal definition of a decent home. A French landlord who cannot prove energy decency risks a tenant works request, a rent reduction ordered by a judge, or losing the right to rent at all. This is the practical document checklist: what proves your property is energy-decent, what goes in the lease file, and how to keep it dispute-proof.
What 'energy decency' means in law
A decent home (logement décent) must not endanger the tenant's safety or health, and since the energy reforms it must also meet a minimum energy-performance standard. A dwelling consuming above the threshold set for the current date is legally indecent — and an indecent home cannot be rented. This is not a paperwork formality: if a tenant considers the home indecent, they can ask the landlord for the works needed to comply, and failing agreement, refer the matter to the departmental conciliation commission or the judge, who can order the works, reduce the rent, or suspend it until the home complies. Proving decency upfront, with documents, is what keeps you out of that situation.
The DPE: your central proof
The Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique is the document that establishes the energy class (A to G) and therefore whether you may legally rent. Two things matter: - Validity: a DPE issued before 1 July 2021 follows the old method and is no longer accepted. DPEs issued from that date are valid for ten years (with some transitional limits on the very oldest). - The class itself: G is banned from new leases since 2025, F from 2028, E from 2034. If you are electric-heated, re-check your class under the 1.9 coefficient that took effect on 1 January 2026 — many homes gain a class for free. The DPE must be shown in the listing, handed to the tenant, and annexed to the lease.
The full diagnostic file (DDT)
The DPE travels with the rest of the dossier de diagnostic technique, which must be attached to the lease. Depending on the property and its location, the DDT includes: - The DPE (energy performance). - The surface-area certificate (loi Boutin for unfurnished). - The lead diagnostic (CREP) for pre-1949 buildings. - The asbestos record for pre-1997 buildings. - The gas and electrical safety diagnostics for installations over 15 years old. - The natural- and technological-risk report (ERP / état des risques). A complete DDT is itself part of proving the home is decent and lawfully let — missing pieces are a frequent source of tenant disputes.
What the lease and the listing must say
Energy information is now mandatory at two stages. The rental advertisement must state the DPE class and the energy/GHG ratings; for F and G homes, the listing must also indicate the rent-freeze constraint. The lease must then state the energy class, annex the DPE and the DDT, and — for unfurnished leases — reference the IRL revision clause and the reference quarter. Getting these statements right is not optional polish: an incorrect or missing energy mention can expose the landlord to a rent reduction or damages. Generating the lease from a template that bakes in the current mandatory mentions removes that risk.
Keep it dispute-proof
Decency is something you may have to prove months or years later — when a tenant complains, at renewal, or at sale. Keep the whole file together and dated: the valid DPE, the DDT diagnostics, the signed lease with its annexes, the move-in état des lieux, and any renovation invoices that improved the class. Storing these in a secure digital vault rather than a drawer of paper means you can produce them instantly if challenged. The same file also feeds the next lease, the next renewal, and any sale — so it is worth assembling once, properly.
Conclusion: Energy decency is proven with documents, not declarations. A valid DPE in an authorised class, a complete diagnostic file, the right energy mentions in the listing and lease, and a properly archived record together establish that your property can be legally rented — and protect you if a tenant ever claims otherwise. Assemble the file once, keep it in a vault, and reuse it at every lease, renewal and sale.
Frequently asked questions
What documents prove a rental is energy-decent?
Primarily a valid DPE showing an authorised class, annexed to the lease alongside the full dossier de diagnostic technique (surface, lead, asbestos, gas/electrical, natural-risk report). The energy class must also appear in the listing and the lease itself.
Is my old DPE still valid in 2026?
Only if it was issued from 1 July 2021 onward under the current method. DPEs produced before that date are no longer accepted and must be redone by a certified diagnostician.
What happens if I can't prove energy decency?
The home is treated as indecent. The tenant can demand the works needed to comply and, failing agreement, ask the conciliation commission or the judge, who can order works, reduce the rent, or suspend it until the property complies.
Does the DPE class have to be in the rental ad?
Yes. The advertisement must show the DPE energy and GHG classes, and for F or G homes it must flag the rent-freeze constraint. The same class then appears in the lease, with the DPE annexed.
Can the 2026 electricity coefficient change my class?
Yes for electric-heated homes. The coefficient fell from 2.3 to 1.9 on 1 January 2026, which lifts many such homes up a class with no works — re-check before assuming you are non-compliant.
How long should I keep the decency file?
For the whole tenancy and beyond — you may need it at renewal, at a tenant dispute, or at sale. A secure digital vault keeps the DPE, DDT, lease annexes, état des lieux and renovation invoices retrievable on demand.
About the author:
Julien Maurice is the founder of AdminLanding and writes the editorial guides on GreenDailyFix. He covers French energy regulation and the administrative side of renting and renovating property in France.
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