Éco-PTZ for landlords: financing a rental renovation at zero interest in 2026
For a French landlord, a rental rated F or G on the DPE is now a countdown, not just a comfort problem. From 1 January 2025 the most energy-hungry homes can no longer legally be rented, and F-rated flats follow in 2028. Renovating is unavoidable — the real question is how to pay for it without draining your cash. This is where the **éco-prêt à taux zéro** (éco-PTZ) earns its place: a state-backed, interest-free loan of **up to €50,000 over 20 years**, open to landlords, with **no income condition**. This guide walks through the 2026 ceilings, the eligible works and the RGE rule, how the éco-PTZ stacks with MaPrimeRénov and CEE on the same works, the prêt avance rénovation variant, and the tie-in with the déficit foncier and the décence énergétique deadlines. Figures are drawn from [service-public.gouv.fr](https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F19905) and France Rénov; treat this as information, not personalised advice, and confirm each figure at the source before you sign.
A zero-interest loan landlords are allowed to use
The éco-prêt à taux zéro (éco-PTZ) is a state-backed, interest-free loan for energy-renovation works. The crucial point for you: it is open to propriétaires bailleurs, not only owner-occupiers. The only conditions are on the property — it must be a résidence principale (yours or your tenant's) built more than two years before the works start. There is no income ceiling: the bank checks your repayment capacity, not your revenue. According to service-public.gouv.fr, one dwelling carries one éco-PTZ, but you can add a complementary éco-PTZ within five years as long as the combined total stays within the ceiling. The state reimburses the lender for the missing interest through a tax credit; you repay only the principal.
How much you can borrow, and for how long
The amount you can borrow depends on how deep the renovation goes:
| Works financed | Max éco-PTZ | Max term |
|---|---|---|
| Glazing replacement only | €7,000 | 15 years |
| A single other action | €15,000 | 15 years |
| Bundle of 2 actions | €25,000 | 15 years |
| Bundle of 3+ actions | €30,000 | 15 years |
| Rénovation d'ampleur (global performance) | €50,000 | 20 years |
| Non-collective sanitation | €10,000 | 15 years |
Eligible works and the RGE requirement
Any works you finance must be carried out by a company holding the RGE (Reconnu Garant de l'Environnement) qualification matching the job. Eligible actions include: - Insulation of roof, walls and low floors - Replacement of windows and glazed doors (double or triple glazing) - An efficient heating system (heat pump, biomass boiler, high-performance condensing boiler) - Domestic hot water from renewable energy - Controlled mechanical ventilation and heating regulation For the €50,000 rénovation d'ampleur, two extra conditions apply: a prior energy audit and a result of at least a two-class DPE gain. The paperwork runs in a fixed order: 1. Get an energy audit (for the global path) and quotes from RGE firms. 2. Submit the éco-PTZ "Devis" form to your bank with the quotes. 3. The bank issues the loan; works begin. 4. Once finished, return the "Factures" form with invoices — generally within three years of the loan offer.
Stacking with MaPrimeRénov and CEE
The éco-PTZ is a financing tool, not a subsidy — so it is designed to sit on top of the grants that actually cut your bill: - MaPrimeRénov' — open to landlords who commit to renting the home as a résidence principale for 6 years, capped at 3 rental properties per owner. - CEE (certificats d'économie d'énergie) — supplier-funded bonuses on the same works. The three combine on the same works: grants and CEE lower the invoice, then the éco-PTZ finances what remains at 0%. On a well-structured rénovation d'ampleur, a landlord can bring the up-front cash outlay close to zero and repay the balance over up to 20 years — turning a compliance obligation into a cash-flow-neutral upgrade.
The prêt avance rénovation variant
If your borrowing capacity is stretched, the prêt avance rénovation ne portant pas intérêt is a second zero-interest route. It is a mortgage-backed loan: repayment of the principal is deferred until the property is sold or transferred (a mutation), and the state covers the interest for the initial period. Two rules matter for landlords: - It is aimed at financing the remaining cost of renovation works — useful when a conventional loan is hard to obtain. - It cannot finance the same work items as an éco-PTZ. If you want both, you must split the invoices so each loan funds distinct works (service-public.gouv.fr).
The legal text and the 2027 deadline
The éco-PTZ is not a discretionary bank product — it is defined in law. It is codified in article 244 quater U of the Code général des impôts (the tax-credit mechanism reimbursing the lender for the missing interest) and in articles D319-1 et suivants of the Code de la construction et de l'habitation (eligible works, ceilings and terms). - Extension: the scheme was extended to 31 December 2027 by article 71 of loi n° 2023-1322 du 29 décembre 2023 (the 2024 finance law). - Implementation: the current parameters were set by décret n° 2024-299 du 29 mars 2024, which raised several ceilings and generalised the complementary éco-PTZ. In practice, a landlord signing in 2026 has a clear, stable legal basis — but also a hard deadline: an éco-PTZ offer must be issued by the bank on or before 31 December 2027.
Why 2026 is the window: décence énergétique and déficit foncier
Two regulatory calendars make 2026 the moment to act. Décence énergétique. Under the loi Climat et Résilience (n° 2021-1104 du 22 août 2021), a home that is too energy-hungry is legally indécent and cannot be offered for rent: - G-rated homes: banned since 1 January 2025 - F-rated homes: banned from 1 January 2028 - E-rated homes: banned from 1 January 2034 An F or G rental therefore has to be renovated to stay on the market — the éco-PTZ is how you fund that without a lump sum. Déficit foncier. Improvement works on an unfurnished rental (taxed under the régime réel) are deductible from your rental income; any excess is imputable on your global income up to €10,700 per year (article 156 of the CGI). Financing those works with a 0% éco-PTZ does not remove their deductibility — you deduct the works and spread the cash at zero interest. A temporary measure (loi n° 2022-1499) doubled that ceiling to €21,400 for energy works on E/F/G housing paid through 31 December 2027 (window extended by the loi de finances pour 2026); if you are planning works in 2026, verify whether that doubling has been extended at impots.gouv.fr before relying on it. Mapping exactly which grants, loans and tax levers apply to a given property is fiddly — AdminLanding's renovation-aid module runs that cross-check for you.
Conclusion: For a landlord facing the 2028 ban on F-rated rentals, the éco-PTZ turns an expensive obligation into a financeable plan: up to €50,000 at 0% over 20 years, stacked with MaPrimeRénov and CEE, while the works stay deductible through the déficit foncier. The scheme runs until 31 December 2027, so the window to lock in a rénovation d'ampleur is now. Model the numbers on your own property, get RGE quotes early, and confirm every ceiling at service-public.gouv.fr before you sign — parameters shift with each finance law.
Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord really get the éco-PTZ, or is it only for owner-occupiers?
Yes. The éco-PTZ is explicitly open to *propriétaires bailleurs*. The only conditions are on the property: it must serve as a résidence principale — the tenant's — and have been built more than two years before the works begin. There is no income test for the borrower; the bank assesses your repayment capacity. In return, you commit to renting the improved home.
How much can I borrow and over how long?
Up to €7,000 for a single glazing action, €15,000 for one other action, €25,000 for two, €30,000 for three or more, and €50,000 for a *rénovation d'ampleur* reaching a global performance target. Terms run to 15 years for standard works and 20 years for the global renovation. All figures per service-public.gouv.fr; confirm before signing.
Can I combine the éco-PTZ with MaPrimeRénov and CEE on the same works?
Yes — that is the intended design. Grants such as MaPrimeRénov and CEE certificates reduce the invoice; the éco-PTZ then finances the remaining cost at 0%. On a well-planned rénovation d'ampleur, subsidies plus a zero-interest loan can bring your out-of-pocket cash close to nothing, spread over up to 20 years.
Must I use an RGE company?
Yes. Works financed by the éco-PTZ must be carried out by a firm holding the RGE (Reconnu Garant de l'Environnement) qualification matching the works. For the €50,000 rénovation d'ampleur, you also need a prior energy audit, and the works must deliver at least a two-class DPE improvement. Keep every quote and invoice for the bank.
What is the prêt avance rénovation, and how is it different?
It is a separate mortgage-backed loan for renovation where repayment is deferred until you sell or transfer the property; the state covers the interest for the initial years. It suits landlords with limited borrowing capacity, but it cannot fund the same work items as an éco-PTZ — you must split the invoices between the two loans.
Does financing works with an éco-PTZ block the déficit foncier?
No. Improvement works on an unfurnished rental taxed under the régime réel remain deductible from your rental income regardless of how they are financed; excess deficit is imputable on global income up to €10,700 a year. A 0% éco-PTZ simply spreads the cash — the tax deduction on the works still applies. Verify current ceilings at impots.gouv.fr.
About the author:
Julien Maurice is the founder of AdminLanding and writes the editorial guides on Green Daily Fix covering French renovation aid, energy policy, and the administrative side of the energy transition. Contact: [email protected]
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