“It cuts a lot of purchasing power” … The rise in APL and the freezing of rents are controversial

While Bercy announced the establishment of a “rent shield” limiting price increases to 3.5% over the year and an increase in APL in the same proportions, consumer associations are still campaigning for a pure freeze and simple rents.

Increase personal housing assistance (APL) by 3.5% and limit landlords to a maximum rent increase of 3.5% in the second half of 2022 and in the first half of 2023 : here are the two measures that the government wants to put in place in the face of inflation and the difficulties of certain households.

According to Bercy, “this rent shield” should allow “a typical household paying a rent of 800 euros per month save about 200 euros at the end of the year despite inflation. Landlords will however be able to pass on part of the inflation (+5.9% in June), the government considering that owners are also affected by the phenomenon, with increased maintenance costs, or even when they want to carry out energy renovation work in their homes.

Insufficient measures for consumer associations

An attempt at compromise far from convincing consumer associations. “For a rent of 600 euros per month, which is the average rent charged, this represents an increase of 21 euros per month, i.e. 252 euros for the year for the tenant, it cuts off a lot of purchasing power”, calculates David Rodrigues, lawyer in charge of housing at the association Consumption, housing and living environment (CLCV), in The Parisian. It must be said that the CLCV has been campaigning for several weeks for a rent freeze, which it believes would have a real impact in the fight against inflation.

“It would have been necessary to limit this increase to 1.5% or even 2% and create an APL shield revalued by 10% to catch up with the cuts of recent years. Especially since these housing aids, which target 6 million households in need, are extremely well targeted,” argues Christophe Robert, general delegate of the Abbé Pierre foundation.

On the side of the owners, the measures announced by Bercy this Monday morning are better received. Pierre Hautus, the general manager of the National Union of Property Owners (Unpi), wanted to be reassuring, explaining on RTL that “landlords are fully aware that tenants may have difficulties. Their goal is not at all to put tenants in an uncomfortable situation with unpaid rent. It should be noted that many landlords do not raise rents at this index. It is a maximum, but it is not an obligation. »

For Christophe Demerson, president of the Unpi, “this is hard news for owners to hear, but it is also a compromise. The Unpi wanted to remind that for the owners, the situation was already difficult. Especially since we observe that in many cities and towns, property taxes have exploded. »

Anyway, the measure should therefore find its place in the future. amending finance bill (PLFR) in favor of purchasing power, which should be presented in the coming days. Until then, discussions continue. The Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, Amélie de Montchalin, had an appointment this Monday with the National Housing Council (CNH), invited to give its opinion on these proposals.

source site-96