Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant

 SUMMARY  

Grant / Support Name: Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant  

Provider: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund.

Value: Up to €50,000 to renovate a vacant property 

Up to €70,000, if the property is derelict 

Plus up to €7,500 for expert conservation advice on traditional farmhouse renovation 

Plus 20% above set limits for properties on off-shore islands. 

Overview: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant provides funding to help you fix up empty and derelict homes. You can also use it to renovate old commercial or public buildings, but only if they now have planning permission to be used as homes. 

Eligibility:  

To qualify for the grant: 

• The property must have been vacant for at least two years and must have been built before 2008.  

• You must own the property or be in the process of buying it, to live in or to rent it out. 

Special Conditions:  

• Only certain types of works are covered for specific amounts and the grants must be approved before any work begins.  

• You will not qualify if the property has been left unreasonably or purposely vacant so you can get the grant.  

• If the renovation costs more than the grant then you will have to pay for this. 

• If you are going to rent the property when the work is done, you must register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board.  

• If you sell the property within five years you will be liable to repay the full amount of the grant. This reduces to 75% if you sell between five and 10 years after renovation. 

• The grant is not available to registered companies or developers.  

• The grant does not cover completely demolishing a property and rebuilding a new one. 

Tax Implications:  

• Your tax affairs must be in order, including Local Property Tax, if applicable.  

ARTICLE   

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is designed to help you refurbish vacant properties by easing the financial burden of renovations. This makes it easier for people to preserve and restore older or historically significant buildings that might otherwise fall apart. 

The grant is available if you're turning a vacant house or building into your permanent home or a rental property. You can also use it to renovate old commercial or public buildings, as long as they have the right planning permission to become homes. And you can get the grant twice -  once to refurbish a home to live in, and a second time for a home you are going to rent out. 

With the grant, you can get up to €50,000 for renovations, and up to €70,000 if the property is derelict. If you live on an offshore island, this can be increased by up to 20%. Plus, there is  extra funding of up to €7,500 available for expert conservation advice if you're refurbishing a vacant traditional farmhouse or cottage,  built using traditional techniques and local materials, such as thatch, stone, slate, earth, wattle and un-sawn timber. 

Bear in mind that while the grant does not cover work to help increase the energy efficiency of your home, this will be covered by an SEAI grant which you can apply for in addition to the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. 

HOW TO QUALIFY

To qualify for the grant, you need to have proof of ownership or show that you are actively negotiating to buy the property. This could be a confirmation from the estate agent or the current owner of the property. Additionally, you need to provide proof that the property has been vacant for at least two years and that it was built up to and including the year 2007. 

HOW TO APPLY

You need to apply for the grant via  your local authority and will need to provide several pieces of evidence and documentation to support your application. This includes a quotation for the proposed works and an independent report confirming that the property is structurally unsound and dangerous if you are seeking a top-up grant for a derelict property. Alternatively, you can provide confirmation that the property is on the Derelict Sites Register, if applicable. Additionally, you should be prepared to submit any other supporting documents that your local authority may request. 

THE DETAIL

The grant covers the work listed below. The amount you get is based on a cost assessment by your local authority and will not go above the funding limits for each type of work set-out in this table. However, if you live on an off-shore island, where you can get up to 20% above these funding limits. The maximum amount allowed for each type of work includes VAT, and is based on a two-storey, 3-bedroom semi-detached home. 

 LINKS

To apply contact the Vacant Homes Officer in your county. You can find an updated list here.