GERE denounces fraud in energy renovation subsidies and alerts the ministry

Created in 2020, the Ma Prime Renov (MPR) system makes it possible to finance the energy renovation of housing in France.

Following the excesses generated by the so-called €1 operations, regulations require that an individual benefiting from these subsidies must pay a minimum amount ranging from 10% to 90% of the cost of the work*. This minimum amount is called the remaining cost (RAC).

Some companies decide to free themselves from this constraint by “offering” the remaining cost, that is to say by committing not to claim payment.

The offer is tempting: renovation work costing tens of thousands of euros. A significant amount of subsidies received directly by the company, with a remaining cost of between €5.000 and €20.000, provided by the company.

For Hugues SARTRE, spokesperson for the Ensemble Designers Group: « This practice is illegal and poses a great risk to the household., to repay the aid. The regulations are very clear; they provide that in the event of unduly received aid, households will have to repay the disputed amount. »

The situation is all the more dangerous for households because, in most cases, they never receive the subsidies themselves, as they are paid directly to the company carrying out the work. In this case, households would find themselves having to repay subsidies they never saw.

To finance this “gift,” companies resort to a reprehensible practice: “The cost of the work is inflated to increase the amount of aid and allow the company to be less impacted by the deduction of the remaining cost.” explains Hugues SARTRE. “This practice constitutes a misappropriation of public aid, the fraudulent amount of which could not be assessed by the Anah in its latest report.”

The GERE calls on the Minister of Housing to take concrete measures:

• an official communication to remind users that these practices are illegal and the risks involved;
• accountability of MARs who turn a blind eye to these fraudulent practices;
• the implementation as part of the large-scale renovation of ceilings by operation as in a single action to limit abuse.

*depending on different criteria (performance of work, income, initial condition of the accommodation, etc.).