in Hérault, “at night our cats keep us warm in bed” – Libération

Owners who are cautious about renovation work, old homes that are stifling or icy depending on the seasons, poorly insulated buildings by the sea… Energy poverty is experienced on a daily basis for many residents of the Montpellier region.

Heat a little, a lot… or not at all. According to the 2024 barometer of the national energy mediator, carried out among more than 2,000 households in France, three quarters of those questioned restricted heating to limit bills. Consequence: 30% of households say they have suffered from the cold in their homes, a proportion which has doubled in the space of four years.

This scourge is far from sparing Hérault. A couple in their sixties renting a poorly insulated apartment located south of Montpellier testifies: “The owner recently installed a reversible air conditioning, except that it doesn’t work… He told us that he would change it at the end of December.” And until then? This couple with meager income, and whose rental is not declared, has little choice: “We have an old convector but it consumes so much that we don't use it. So we put on sweaters, we wrap ourselves in blankets. And at night, our cats keep us warm in bed.”

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