Introduced in 2020 to replace a system of tax credits for house renovation, 'MaPrimeRénov' is the central plank in the drive by the French government to improve the quality of housing in France, particularly the level of energy efficiency.
Although the grant is means-tested, the income thresholds are generous and even households on the highest incomes are eligible for some level of assistance.
Nevertheless, as we have previously reported on these pages, the system is under strain from a combination of rising costs not matched by an increase in grant levels, a shortage of accredited contractors to undertake the work, and a complicated application process.
Confirmation of the difficulties faced by applicants in making an application came last month in a report from the Ombudsman, the Défenseur des droits, who pointed to the "serious recurring technical malfunctions" of the system, after having received nearly 500 complaints since its creation less than 2 years ago.
The Ombudsman states that "households still suffer today from dysfunctions of the service, a lack of interlocutors and a lack of information."
Among the difficulties users face are computer blockages due to the operating limits of the system.
Many households have had severe difficulties in even creating an account on the website, with the result that they were unable to complete their application before starting their work (with contractors in place), or had their application refused on the grounds that it had been made too late.
"Faced with the need to heat in winter and waiting for the payment of the grant which can reach several thousand euros, some households have been forced to take out bank or family loans to finance the work and pay the contractor," explained the Ombudsman.
Some applicants have “never been able to benefit from the aid, their income having evolved since 2020, although they were eligible at the time they began their application."
In other cases, applicants started their work after receiving authorisation to do so, but are still waiting, since 2020, for the assistance to which they are entitled, sometimes due to the "the technical impossibility of finalising their requests, in particular by uploading their invoices on their space."
There have also been problems obtaining relevant tax information from the tax office, due once again to technical problems in reconciliation of data between the agencies.
The Ombudsman also expressed concern at the lack of a clear explanation of decisions on a grant application, which he considered too "succinct", even "obscure", if not "confused".
Once again, as with so many other public service application procedures that have been transferred on-line, and which fail to function satisfactorily, the Ombudsman called for an alternative to the on-line process for those unable to use the system. The absence of an alternative leads to "depriving certain potential beneficiaries of aid" and thus creates a "breach of equality in the delivery of public services."
Although support services for applicants have been set up (telephone helpline for example), the Ombudsman considers that these solutions are not an alternative since they all require continued use of the system.
Anah, the housing renewal agency, have responded stating that it "takes note" of the recommendations, while ensuring that "a vast majority of applications are proceeding smoothly."
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