UnionPress reported that over 3,700 excess deaths occurred during the June heatwave in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and that the fatalities were linked to inadequate housing. The tragedy has shone a light on the vulnerability of tenants, who make up roughly one‑third of households across Europe.

Tenants struggle to keep cool

National housing surveys show that about 45 % of tenants say they have trouble keeping their homes cool, compared with 28 % of owner‑occupiers. In France, the Fondation pour le Logement estimates that 66 % of the population struggles with indoor heat, and that nearly half of homes lack any form of solar protection. Over 40 % of French windows have no external shading and 43 % of residences lack shutters or blinds on sun‑exposed façades.

Energy‑inefficient building stock

EU statistics indicate that approximately 75 % of the Union’s building stock is energy‑inefficient. Spain illustrates the scale of the problem: 75 % of existing buildings do not meet current energy‑efficiency standards and about half were built before 1980. The EU has allocated more than €4 billion for renovation programmes covering the period 2021‑2025, while Spain has a separate renovation package valued at €4 billion.

Heat‑related indoor temperatures

Indoor temperatures in poorly insulated homes can be up to 5 °C higher than outdoor temperatures. Experts say low‑cost retrofits such as insulation, external shutters, blinds and ceiling fans can lower indoor temperatures by 4‑5 °C. Heat pumps, which provide heating in winter and cooling in summer, could play a role if financing models remove upfront costs for tenants.

Innovative financing pilots

Germany and the Netherlands are piloting social leasing schemes, heat‑as‑a‑service contracts and similar tools that offer fixed monthly payments covering installation, maintenance and energy supply. These models aim to make heat‑pump technology and other retrofits affordable for renters.

Tenant activism and policy pressure

In France, the campaign "Pas de volets, pas de loyer" demands that landlords who refuse to install shutters allow tenants to withhold rent in escrow and fund the work themselves. Tenant groups are also forming in Belgium and the Netherlands to demand mandatory thermal‑performance standards in rental contracts and public funding for retrofitting low‑income rentals.

Several European capital cities have opened climate shelters in schools, libraries and sports facilities during extreme heat events, while Athens has appointed a chief heat officer to oversee long‑term urban cooling strategies.

Renovation plans and the road ahead

National Building Renovation Plans must be submitted by the end of 2026. Draft plans from member states are reported to be insufficient to meet the goal of ending fossil‑fuel heating by 2040 and to prioritise the poorest‑performing buildings. The European Investment Bank has indicated willingness to finance large‑scale deep‑renovation projects.

Climate projections suggest an additional 2 °C increase in average European temperatures by mid‑century. UnionPress called on the European Commission to make the National Building Renovation Plans legally binding with clear retrofitting targets, enforceable tenant rights and consumer‑protective financing.