When the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) falters: what if fraud were to weaken the entire real estate chain?

In the French real estate sector, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is no longer just another document: it has become a crucial economic, environmental, and reputational issue. And yet, behind its perceived importance lies a sense of unease: attacks on credibility, suspicions of collusion, and a weakening scope of action.

Since October 1, 2025, the State has decided to tighten the regulatory framework around diagnostics: production thresholds for diagnosticians, reinforced control of the software chain, identification via QR code, geolocation of interventions…

In other words: the DPE is no longer tolerated as a simple formality, it becomes an object of trust or distrust.

Why this complete overhaul?

A simple observation: property values, rental amounts, and purchasing decisions are now heavily influenced by energy performance certificates (EPCs). An inaccurate, biased, or poorly conducted EPC can skew the balance. The Court of Auditors has warned: "The EPC has become a strategic and political tool with major consequences… without the effects having been fully measured." Faced with this growing influence, reliability must become the foundation.

Game-changing measures

Here are some of the measures recently implemented or coming soon:

The maximum number of DPEs per diagnostician over 12 months is set at 1.000: if a professional exceeds this threshold without valid justification, their certification may be suspended.
Authentication QR code attached to each diagnostician and each report, allowing verification of validity via ADEME.
Statistical monitoring and alert system: abnormal number of diagnoses in one day, inconsistent movements, suspicious volume = automatic triggering of a control.
Reduction of audit intervals for certification bodies: they are moving from an audit every 15 months to an audit every 10 months.

The three main reasons for professionals, landlords or investors to be interested in it

Asset value: a biased or suspicious energy performance certificate (EPC) can distort a property's valuation. The legally binding EPC opens the door to legal disputes.
Rental and sales market: a property that is poorly diagnosed or suspected of fraud may lose its attractiveness, or even be prohibited from being rented.
Reputation and trust: for the landlord, the developer or the intermediary: a dubious diagnosis can damage credibility, which is fatal in an already tense ecosystem.

Prioritize reliability over stress

To all stakeholders: stop considering the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) as a formality. Consider it as an asset.

Choose a certified diagnostician, check their QR code, and inquire about their activity volumes.
Ensure that the data entered is correct and not default values, as this can have a significant impact on the rating and therefore the value of a property.
Request the history of diagnoses carried out, and be vigilant during peak periods of activity…
Learn to understand and master them, or equip yourself to do so.

In real estate, the "energy" aspect is no longer secondary. It's central. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) shouldn't be a "box to tick" but a rigorous, transparent, and trustworthy report. And when that trust wavers, the entire structure can be shaken.

Because beyond diagnosis, it is transparency that creates a market of trust.

Tribune by Eric Houdet, Founder of Homapi (LinkedIn).