Vacant Home Renovation Grant

Now available in all cities, rural areas, towns or villages across Ireland, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant gives funding for refurbishing vacant and derelict homes

The Irish government is offering renovators up to €50,000 to refurbish vacant buildings, to bring abandoned and neglected houses back into use

Initially only available for vacant homes in regional towns and villages, homeowners can now access a grant to refurbish vacant homes in all cities, rural areas, towns or villages.

The grant costs covered under the scheme include structural works, roofing, painting, building services and professional fees.

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant gives funding for refurbishing vacant and derelict homes.

To qualify:

• You must own the home, or be in the process of buying it
• Your home must have been vacant for two years or more
• Your home must have been built before 1993
• You must live in the property as your principal private home after the work is done
• You must have tax clearance from Revenue and your tax affairs must be in order.
• You must have paid your local property tax, if applicable.
• You must not have already got funding under the grant.

How much is the Grant?

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant offers up to €30,000 for the refurbishment of a vacant property or up €50,000 if the property is derelict. The grant includes Vat.

If the renovation costs more than the grant, you will have to pay for the additional costs.

The grants may be combined with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s Better Energy Home Scheme supports, which could also offer a further €26,750 in support.

The grant must be approved before any work begins.

What does the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant cover?

• Demolition work and site clearances, including the removal of hazardous materials
• Work on foundations, rising walls, floor slabs, damp-proofing and underpinning
• Work on chimneys, suspended timber floors and structural timbers
• Work on internal walls, stairs, landings, doors, windows and applied finishes
• External walls and roof completions
• Building services such as plumbing, heating, ventilation, electrical services, and telecommunications
• Painting and decoration needed because of the work
• Extensions that meet the planning regulations and are part of the wider refurbishment
• Necessary external works and site development
• Professional services associated with work

Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Application Process

Send the completed application form, supporting documents and a quote for the renovations to your local authority. The supporting documents must prove that you own the home and that it is vacant or derelict.

Your local authority will review your application and send someone to the property to check that the work is possible and to assess the cost. The local authority will then let you know if your application has been successful.

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant will be prioritised as follows:

1. First-time buyers and ‘fresh start’ applicants.

2. Applicants with needs i.e. people with disabilities and older people who are selling or have sold their current home and want to refurbish a vacant home to live in.

3. Anyone else who is selling or has sold their home and wants to refurbish a vacant home to live in.

You must pay back the grant in any situation where the home is no longer your primary residence within the first 10 years. However, if you want to rent out a room in your home while you live there, you do not have to repay the grant.

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