Soaring energy prices, inflation at more than 6% over one year… Many social landlords have recorded more unpaid rent in 2022, the Social Union for Housing (USH) said on Monday.
The USH, which represents HLM landlords, conducted a survey in December 2022 of 193 organizations covering 2.26 million social housing units, or 47% of the HLM stock.
The exact terms of the investigation and its precise results have not been disclosed, but the USH links this upsurge to soaring energy prices.
“Nearly half” of the social landlords who responded recorded a significant increase (more than 10%), compared to December 2021, in the number of tenants who had accumulated more than three months of unpaid rent, indicates the USH in a statement.
An “incomplete” tariff shield, according to Emmanuelle Cosse, president of the USH
“Two-thirds of responding HLM organizations recorded an increase in the number of households in financial difficulty.
The same proportion declares having perceived warning signs of financial difficulties,” she adds.
The USH also announces that it will conduct, in 2023, quarterly surveys on unpaid rent in order to better quantify the phenomenon.
The USH reports a sharp rise in unpaid rent from #Hlm tenants.
For @emmacosse, "the rise in tenants' financial difficulties was unfortunately announced, [...] Their difficulties are confirmed today" ⤵https://t.co/Vq7SpFcMYJ
— UnionHlm (@UnionHlm) December 19, 2022
"The rise in financial difficulties for tenants was unfortunately announced, given the very incomplete nature of the tariff shield put in place by the Government for people heated collectively by gas and electricity", declares the president of the USH, Emmanuelle Pod.
The former Minister of Housing has been calling since the fall for an extension of the tariff shield, which limits soaring energy prices, to all social landlords, and has only partially won her case.
HLM organizations fear the impact of the regularization of charges, which can represent a painful bill, on their tenants, 35% of whom live below the poverty line.
