In the Meloni government’s budget law for 2027, the last of the legislature before the elections scheduled for next year, there is also a chapter dedicated to housing bonuses, with some measures confirmed and extended, with the related deductions. There are the bonus of 50% and 36% for building renovations for the first home and the contribution for furniture and appliances of up to 5 thousand euros (here for more information). For the ecobonus, the tax incentive intended for energy redevelopment interventions on properties, the rules will change next year.
A new spending ceiling
The maneuver introduces a single ceiling which will cover many interventions, from the replacement of windows and doors to the installation of heat pumps and thermal insulation. However, this simplification could reduce the benefit for families intending to completely renovate their home.
In essence, the main change contained in the budget law concerns the maximum amount on which it will be possible to calculate the tax discount. From 2027, according to the text presented by the Meloni government, the expenses incurred to improve the energy efficiency of the same real estate unit will flow into a single ceiling of 96 thousand euros. It will therefore no longer be possible to use autonomous ceilings for each type of intervention. The objective is to standardize a system of benefits which, over the years, has taken on different characteristics depending on the technologies used and the works carried out.
The ecobonus until the end of 2026 provides distinct thresholds, which can refer to the expenditure incurred or directly to the maximum deduction recognised. Considering a rate of 50%, for example, the replacement of fixtures and the installation of solar shading can each benefit from a subsidized expense of up to 120 thousand euros, corresponding to a maximum deduction of 60 thousand euros. For heat pumps and hybrid systems the spending ceiling, with the same rate, is 60 thousand euros, while for solar thermal it reaches 120 thousand euros. Currently these limits can be used separately, respecting the conditions established for each intervention.
The works allowed
In 2027, the new spending ceiling will include the main works aimed at containing the consumption of existing buildings. Among those allowed are:
- the replacement of windows including frames;
- the insulation of walls and roofs;
- the installation of thermal coats and the installation of solar shading, such as awnings;
- the concessions will also concern solar systems for the production of hot water, heat pump water heaters, hybrid systems permitted by law and devices for the intelligent management of the systems;
- Heat pump air conditioners will also benefit from the deduction, provided that the intervention complies with the required technical requirements, including those relating to the replacement of existing heating systems, when required.
It is clear that the effect of the reform will depend above all on the extent of the work planned. Those who decide to replace only the windows, or to modernize the heating system, may not find any particular differences, provided that the expense remains below the established limit. The picture changes when the interventions are carried out simultaneously. For example, by using 70 thousand euros of the ceiling to create a thermal coat, only 26 thousand euros of subsidized expenditure will remain for any further works, such as the installation of new heat pumps or the replacement of fixtures. Sums exceeding the overall threshold cannot be deducted through the ecobonus.
The threshold changes for condominiums
Interventions on the common parts of condominium buildings, however, will have a different threshold. In this case the bill sets a limit of 40 thousand euros, to be multiplied by the number of real estate units that make up the building. A condominium with ten apartments will therefore be able to benefit from a total ceiling of 400 thousand euros. The mechanism will mainly affect redevelopments involving the entire building, such as thermal insulation interventions on the facades. Even in these situations, the availability of a single roof requires careful planning of expenses.
The deductions
The latest maneuver confirms for next year the percentages already foreseen in 2026. The relief will be equal to 50% when the works concern the main residence and the expenses will be borne by the owner, or by the holder of a real right of enjoyment on the property. In other cases, including second homes, the rate of 36% will apply. The extension will allow us to avoid the reduction in deductions which, in the absence of legislative changes, would have taken effect from 1 January 2027, bringing the percentages to 36% and 30% respectively. The increase therefore does not only depend on the destination of the property, but also on the position of the taxpayer who bears the costs.
In the text of the bill there is no increase in the deduction for the ecobonus to 65%, taken into consideration during the preparation of the budget. The upgrade could have concerned some particularly effective interventions in reducing energy consumption, including the installation of heat pumps, the replacement of fixtures and the creation of thermal insulation. The government had evaluated the possibility of financing this measure through the margins of flexibility recognized by the European Union for certain energy-related expenses. However, the hypothesis did not find space in the version of the provision sent to Parliament, also due to the difficulties linked to the necessary financial coverage.
The new spending ceiling for the ecobonus remains independent of that provided for the ordinary renovation bonus, which maintains a ceiling of 96 thousand euros for each property unit. The two concessions can therefore be used for different works carried out on the same building, as long as the respective requirements are respected. However, it will not be possible to obtain a double tax benefit for the same expense. The economic maneuver, therefore, intervenes on the structure of the ecobonus limits, without unifying the two measures. Furthermore, for interventions that continue work started in previous years, expenses already deducted will also need to be considered when calculating the ceiling.
The tax discount will be distributed in ten annual installments of the same amount and can be used within the limits of the tax due by the taxpayer. Assuming a eligible expense of 96 thousand euros, with the 50% rate the theoretical maximum benefit will reach 48 thousand euros, divided into annual installments of 4,800 euros. Applying 36% instead, the overall deduction will be 34,560 euros, equivalent to 3,456 euros per year. To fully recover these sums it will still be necessary to have adequate fiscal capacity. The provisions will now have to pass parliamentary examination and may be amended before the final approval of the 2027 budget law.