2. Home Improvement Grants in France

1. Housing Improvement Agency
2. Eligible Persons
3. Eligible Properties
4. Eligible Works
5. Level of Grant
6. Application Process

2.2. Who is Eligible for a French Home Improvement Grant?

Both owner-occupiers and landlords are eligible, on condition that, following award of the grant, the property is occupied as the principal residence for at least 6 years, or let as a main home for an agreed period.

Accordingly, second homes and seasonal lettings are not eligible for assistance.

In exceptional circumstances tenants are also eligible if the grant is needed to bring the property to a minimum habitable standard.

Where circumstances change and the property ceases to be occupied as a principal home, or rented out, then some of the grant becomes repayable.

However, if there are strong professional, personal or medical reasons why it becomes necessary to relocate, then repayment of the grant can be waived.

The grant aid is subject to means testing for owner-occupiers, but this is not the case for landlords, provided they meet other criteria, eg controlled rents, tenant income.

Savings are not taken into account in the assessment of resources, but, as the grant will only fund a percentage of the works, you will need to find your own resources for the balance of the expenditure.

The maximum annual income limits for owner-occupiers are set out in the following table. In some cases the grant levels are lower the nearer to the maximum threshold is your income, but they are also higher for those with very low incomes.

The reference period used for determining your eligibility in 2019 is your income for 2017 as advised on your tax notice in 2018, although your income for 2018 can also be used if it is at least 10% lower than that for 2017.

Table: Owner-Occupiers

And then €7,377/€5,617 for each additional person.

The income figure used is that advised on your French income tax notice, your revenu fiscal de référence.

The revenu fiscal de référence is your net income as determined by the tax authority, after taking into consideration allowances and deductions.

If you have recently relocated to France and you are looking for grant assistance, you will need to produce your latest income tax return from your home country. If your income has reduced substantially since relocation you will need to provide clear evidence, although there is no guarantee it will be accepted.

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