Unworthy housing is considered to be all situations of degraded housing that could have a short or medium-term impact on the health or safety of the occupants (floor threatening to collapse, significant presence of mold, dangerous electricity, heating failure, etc.). ). Each year in Maine-et-Loire, more than 300 residents, largely tenants, report living in degraded housing.
The number of unworthy housing situations identified is increasing in Maine-et-Loire,” indicates the departmental center for combating unworthy housing in a press release. The committee explains this in particular by improving communication around reporting possibilities. In 2024, a tripling of reports was observed after the implementation of the Histologe platform (https://histologe.beta.gouv.fr/).
The skills of all those involved have also grown over the last fifteen years. As such, the committee welcomes the growing involvement of the municipalities of Maine-et-Loire. This involvement is essential to avoid reaching extreme situations of unsanitary conditions. Indeed, the mayor can take regulatory action in situations where there are some very real disorders, before the situation deteriorates and results in an unsanitary order.
Coercive tools against unscrupulous landlords
Among other restrictive measures against unscrupulous landlords, it appears that the conservation of housing aid is an effective tool against owners of substandard properties: 47% of housing affected by this conservation were subsequently the subject of work . While 39% remained unanswered, resulting in lost aid and properties that were not re-rented. The remaining 14% concerns ongoing situations, with conservation leaving a period of eighteen months to carry out the work.
Finally, note that the Public Prosecutor’s Office can also play a coercive role by being notified of unworthy housing situations. Indeed, criminal proceedings can be brought against an unscrupulous owner at the same time as administrative measures falling within the powers of the mayor or prefect are taken.
