What changes in 2022?
Thinking of buying or renovating a French home? There are some key changes in 2022 that you might find useful to know about, from taxes, to eco-loans and planning breakthroughs. Here are a handful to note.
Climate change is by necessity behind a number of changes this year. The new environmental regulation RE2020 will replace the RT2012 (in force since 2013) for building permits submitted from 1 January 2022. These are to promote energy efficiency, reduce carbon output, and to anticipate rising average temperatures due to climate change. The construction industry estimates that the RE2020 will add at least 6% to the cost of a building from 2022, which will be passed onto the buyers. The tax on property development is increasing by at least 7% this year: from €767 per square meter to €820 per square metre in the provinces. In the Île-de-France region, the rate rises from €870 to €929 per m². These reference values are part of the formula for arriving at the payable sum of development tax – based on built surface area, municipality and department rates.
There’s also a new mandatory energy audit to conduct when selling a house or a building is considered inefficient – whose energy performance diagnosis (DPE) is of class F or G. To give the profession time to adapt, the deadline is now September 1, 2022. The energy audit cost is estimated at about €900 per house.
Some good news! Town planning authorisations will move into the digital age and instead of in-person visits to the town hall, all municipalities will receive applications for building permits or planning certificates in electronic format.
France Rénov’ is the new public service for housing renovation, which will help you identify how you can get financial aid for eco-friendly improvements, with MaPrimeRénov’ for homes that have been completed for at least 15 years. Need a loan to finance your work? The ceiling of the zero rate eco-loan (eco-PTZ) has increased from €30,000 to €50,000; the repayment period from 15 to 20 years.
Concerning the reform of the taxe d’habitation: from autumn 2022 property tax will increase by 3.4% – this includes a revaluation of rental values and household waste collection tax. The same will apply for council tax on second homes.
There’s also change on the PINEL rental investment scheme: this year will be the last chance to take advantage of full tax reductions without conditions. But – to end on some good news! – the “Rent Affordable” scheme is going to offer owners a better tax reduction, if they commit to renting an unfurnished property to a tenant with a capped rent period of 6 or 9 years.
