Housing: more and more cracked houses due to drought

In Saint-Georges-de-Poisieux (Cher), one in four houses is affected by cracks. The clayey terrain of the town shrinks under the effect of droughts. Helpless, the mayor of the village notes the lack of consideration by the insurance companies. “It must be really proven that it is the drought and therefore the soil that moves and not imperfections or poor workmanship”declares the city councilor Béatrice Beurdin.

A scourge familiar to Jean and Marie-Jo Colacicco, inhabitants of Saint-Georges-de-Poisieux. The front of their house is full of cracks, but the worst is inside. The walls are no longer straight, the floors creak and the veranda which was in danger of collapsing had to be condemned. The spouses have already invested 15,000 euros in the work and have received no help from their insurance, 20 years after the first crack. “The expert told us ‘I’ll let you know’, we’re still waiting”, says Marie-Jo. Her husband feels helpless. “Sometimes it eats me, I see myself unable to do something”, he laments.

According to the Court of Auditors, more than 10 million houses are affected by the risk of cracking. A figure that could worsen with global warming and the multiple droughts it causes.