It was thirty-four years ago. The compensation scheme for victims of natural disasters, which already covered, for example, earthquakes and floods, included a new event: drought. Opening the way for the management of damage caused by the phenomenon of “clay shrinkage-swelling” (RGA) on houses – one in two is affected by this risk in France, according to France Assureurs.
The cause: ground movements occurring when, depending on the weather, the water content of clay soils, real sponges, plays yo-yo. Variations in volume and consistency of soils can affect the structure of the building… and “the cost of repairing the damage may exceed the price of the house”testifies Thierry Paris, president of the CatNat Wannehain association of drought victims in Hauts-de-France.
Despite the scale of the problem, and its worsening linked to climate change, drought remains a special natural disaster, the RGA victims are not treated like the others, deplores MP Vincent Ledoux (Renaissance) in a report submitted to the government on October 6. He describes in particular their isolation.
“The drought is insidious, silent, not spectacular and affects scattered housing”, explains Mr. Paris. A flooded homeowner is immediately aware of this; this is not the case with the RGA. It often starts with a crack, which doesn’t necessarily cause panic. How to react if you spot them? Who to contact? What mistakes to avoid? According to the specialists interviewed, there are reflexes to have.
Check the age of the house
Is the house less than ten years old? “That’s the first question to ask.”, says François Estrade, of the Company of Approved Experts, a professional union. Because new constructions are covered by the manufacturer’s ten-year guarantee. In this case, “contact the builder, or, if it has disappeared, directly its insurer, as well as your works damages insurer if this insurance has been taken out” to construction. Above all, don’t hang around if the tenth anniversary is approaching…
Notify the town hall
For old houses, not covered by the ten-year period, compensation under the so-called “Cat Nat” regime assumes that your municipality has been recognized as being in a state of natural disaster, by decree, for the period corresponding precisely to that during which you declare to have noticed the first damage. Because, for the moment, orders are generally taken for a period of the year, for example a quarter.
You have 60% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.