The zero-rate eco-loan for a heat pump
Grants cover part of the price; the eco-PTZ funds the rest without interest. Work out the monthly payment and compare it with the heating saving.
The zero-rate eco-loan (éco-PTZ) is an interest-free bank loan whose interest is paid by the State. It funds energy renovation work in a main residence completed more than two years ago, carried out by an RGE-certified firm. It has no income condition. For a single item, such as fitting a heat pump, it can reach €15,000; €25,000 for two items and €30,000 for three or more. Repayment is spread over 15 years at most. The eco-PTZ combines with MaPrimeRénov’ and the CEE bonus; being a loan, it does not count towards the grant cap. The appeal is simple: an interest-free monthly payment that, for a heat pump replacing oil or electric heating, can be largely covered by the heating saving. The bank remains free to accept or refuse the application, depending on your ability to repay.
My eco-loan monthly payment
Monthly payment, 0% interest
€75
| Amount lent | €9,000 |
| Ceiling in this case | €15,000 |
| Left to pay in cash | €0 |
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The monthly payment, colour by colour
| Colour | Out of pocket | Monthly over 10 years | Over 15 years | Heating saving per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | €4,988 | €42 | €28 | €100 |
| Yellow | €6,788 | €57 | €38 | €100 |
| Purple | €8,588 | €72 | €48 | €100 |
| Pink | €10,978 | €91 | €61 | €100 |
For the gas-heated house in the table, the monthly saving exceeds the fifteen-year payment, whatever the colour. With an oil boiler or electric heaters the saving is larger: change the energy in the calculator to see it. These figures are estimates: your real consumption and quotes replace them.
My eco-loan monthly payment
Monthly payment, 0% interest
€75
| Amount lent | €9,000 |
| Ceiling in this case | €15,000 |
| Left to pay in cash | €0 |
Amounts and term
The ceiling depends on the number of work “items” funded: one item (for example the heat pump alone) €15,000; two items €25,000; three or more €30,000. An “overall energy performance” eco-PTZ can reach €50,000 over 20 years, if an energy audit shows a gain of at least two energy-rating classes. A supplementary eco-PTZ can also be requested within five years of the first offer, until 31 December 2027, within €50,000 in total. Detailed conditions are on Service-Public.fr.
Eco-PTZ or MaPrimeRénov’ advance?
For a blue household, Anah can pay an advance on MaPrimeRénov’. The eco-PTZ comes on top, for the part grants do not cover. For a purple or pink household, the eco-PTZ is often the only way to spread the cost without interest. A “prêt avance mutation” (a mortgage-backed loan repaid when the home is sold) also exists for low-income households, but its interest is not zero.
Over how many years should you borrow?
| Amount borrowed | Over 5 years | Over 10 years | Over 15 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| €5,000 | €83 | €42 | €28 |
| €10,000 | €167 | €83 | €56 |
| €15,000 | €250 | €125 | €83 |
With no interest, the term does not change the sum repaid: €10,000 borrowed costs €10,000, over five years or fifteen. A longer term lowers the monthly payment and brings it closer to the heating saving, which eases the budget in the first years. Two costs do follow the term, though: borrower insurance, if the bank requires it, and any arrangement fees. Ask for their total before choosing.
Example for an oil-heated house and a yellow household: €6,788 left to pay after grants, a monthly payment of €38 over fifteen years, and a heating saving of about €177 a month. The saving exceeds the payment by €139 a month: the change of heating pays for itself.
The application, step by step
1. Have the quote drawn up by an RGE-certified firm, with the eco-PTZ “quotes” form, which the firm completes and signs. 2. Apply at a bank that offers the loan, before the work starts. 3. Once the loan is granted, have the work done. 4. Hand the bank the invoices and the “invoices” form within three years. The “quotes” and “invoices” forms are the same at every bank, so you can take them from one bank to another.
If your own bank refuses or does not offer the loan, another one can: the eco-PTZ is not tied to the bank that holds your current account. Some banks ask you to move your salary or take out their insurance in exchange; that is a commercial condition, not a rule of the loan, and you can compare offers on that point too.
Pitfalls
Some firms offer consumer credit along with the quote, sometimes sold as “zero-rate financing” although fees or insurance are added. The eco-PTZ is applied for at a bank, not through the installer. Read the annual percentage rate (TAEG): an eco-PTZ’s is zero, insurance aside.