One month before Christmas, many residents of the Morbihan Habitat rental park received a gift that they would have done without. In their mailbox, they discovered a letter regularizing charges. They represent the maintenance of common areas, the presence of caretakers, green spaces but, above all, services linked to water and energy.
€140, €700, €900, sometimes more than €1,000… “It’s a real blow!” exclaims Christine, tenant of a HLM apartment in Lorient. I'm furious: I pay €1,500 in charges per year to have an apartment at 16°C in winter.” Many other people shared their anger on social networks. “How can we bring down people already in difficulty with the increase in all prices…” laments Chris Breiz. Erwan Robert, general director, explains that the merger period, when Bretagne Sud Habitat, Lorient Habitat and Vannes Golfes Habitat became Morbihan Habitat, in January 2023, delayed the arrival of the regulations.
I'm furious: I pay €1,500 in charges per year to have an apartment at 16°C in winter
Explosion in gas prices
This Thursday, November 28, 2024, the social landlord reacted by organizing “a crisis meeting” to respond to the concerns of its tenants, in the presence of Marc Boutruche, president of Morbihan Habitat, Erwan Robert, general manager, Stéphanie Toulminet, deputy general director, and three associations to represent the interests of tenants. “A meeting like this is unheard of,” remarks Huguette Le Caherec, administrator of the CLCV (Consumption, housing and living environment).
The lessor indicates having sent a letter explaining that “the price of gas has soared in 2022 (…). We had to conclude a new gas supply contract for two years. The new market saw its price tripled.” The price shield could not be applied for the second half of 2023. It also specifies that the cost of electricity has skyrocketed by 33% between 2023 and 2024. The increase is also explained by the fact that certain electricity networks heat running on gas are transformed into bio-gas boiler rooms: “A transition which has a cost”, explains Erwan Robert.
Financial boost
The strongest regularizations concern Lorient and Hennebont. 9,000 homes have collective charges, including 1,000 with an expense “beyond reasonable”. For the latter, Morbihan Habitat has decided to cap the regularization of energy-related charges at €300 per accommodation, “any amount exceeding this amount being covered by the organization”. The social landlord says he is available to residents, in person, on the telephone, or during visits in the neighborhoods. Hot water consumption is not covered by the lessor. “It is directly linked to the habits of each household,” he explains. And to reassure: “We must remain cautious, but we should observe a decrease in prices in 2025”.
“The drop too many”
Despite this optimistic outlook, tenants consider these regulations to be “the last straw”. “Some housing is unsanitary, there is humidity, sometimes asbestos! », protests Laurent Ghyselinck, resident of Frébeault. The general director, for his part, affirms: “We have never undertaken so much work. We are in the process of reworking our contracts with companies but they sometimes have difficulty recruiting.”
