Energy Renovation Assistance: How To Avoid Scams?
Are you planning to renovate your home to improve its energy efficiency? Be careful! Some crafty contractors and unscrupulous companies take advantage of state-provided energy renovation aids to deceive customers. We will explain how to avoid scams in this area.
Be aware of the risk of scams.
Since January 1, 2020, the government has implemented MaPrimeRénov, a financial aid designed to encourage the energy transition of housing.
Unfortunately, the aids provided by the state have led to attempts at fraud by certain professionals. These scams can take the form of aggressive solicitation, fake quality labels, obscure quotes, or hidden credits.
The first thing to do to thwart energy renovation scams is to be aware of their existence. An informed consumer is better able to recognize deceptive business practices, such as quotes and invoices that are incomprehensible to the client.
Beware of aggressive solicitation.
Aggressive solicitation by phone, email, SMS, or even at home is a common scam in this field of activity. However, telephone canvassing in the energy renovation sector is strictly prohibited by the law of July 24, 2020.
Please note: if you have been approached by phone, it is a fraudulent call. Do not hesitate to report it on the SignalConso platform or to the France Rénov service at 0808 800 700 (toll-free call). You can also report fraudulent canvassing on the dedicated platform 33700.fr, which is the platform for combating voice spam and SMS spam.
To avoid being deceived, also note that administrations do not endorse any canvassing offering renovation work. In other words, no company can claim to be from a public body such as the Anah or the ADIL to solicit you by phone or at home.
Furthermore, no company is authorized to create an account on your behalf, nor to use your personal details or tax data. That's why you should never give out any personal or banking information, neither during a telephone solicitation nor online on a website offering energy renovation work.
Do not sign anything at a first meeting.
If someone approaches you at home for energy renovation work, **you should never sign any documents during the first visit**.
As with other types of work, it's best to take the time to **compare quotes** before choosing a provider.
If you are presented with a contract, always make sure that **the 14-day cooling-off period** is clearly stated in the document.
Research the company that is soliciting you.
Before committing to anything, it is important to research the company that is approaching you. To benefit from certain energy renovation aids such as the eco-PTZ or MaPrimeRénov, you must use a professional certified with the RGE label.
If in doubt, you can consult the directory of RGE professionals on the France Rénov website. You can also contact a France Rénov advisor to benefit from personalized advice and be directed towards competent professionals.
Also take the time to compare the services and prices offered by several professionals. It is very important to gather information and compare several craftsmen or companies to thwart scam attempts.
Read all documents carefully, especially in case of financing the work with a loan. You need to be aware of the credit offer, the total cost of the loan, and the repayment terms.
Before signing off on the completion of the work, also verify its conformity. Ensure, among other things, that the installed equipment corresponds to the quote.
If you encounter any problems, seek help.
If the energy renovation works did not go as planned, you have several remedies available:
- In case of a dispute with a RGE certified company, you can report it on the france-renov.gouv.fr website.
- You can also report professional misconduct on the SignalConso platform or contact 0809 540 550 (non-premium rate number).
- Before taking legal action, you can resort to a mediator for justice. This process is free and may be mandatory in some cases before initiating legal proceedings.
