South Dublin County Council want to raise awareness around the issue of vacant homes and to seek the public’s help in addressing this matter. If you are aware of an empty/vacant home in the South Dublin County Councils area, please tell us and efforts will be made to if possible bring this property back into use. This will also help towards meeting Ireland’s housing need in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Register a vacant home at www.vacanthomes.ie
Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant
You can apply for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant if you are turning a vacant property into your principal private residence or if you are making it available for rental purposes.
A grant of up to €50,000 is available to eligible applicants.
To qualify for the grant, the applicant(s) must:
- Have proof of ownership or evidence of being in active negotiations to buy a property.
- Live in the property as your principal private residence or make it available for rent
- Have proof that the property has been vacant for at least 2 years and that it was built before 2007.
- Have quotes for all works included on the application form
- Submit tax clearance certificates
The application for the grant must be submitted in the same name(s) as the purchaser(s) of the property.
There is a checklist for required documentation on page 15 of the application form for applications for principle private residences and for rental properties.
Please note that in order to comply with Article 17(15) of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275), the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant will no longer provide funding for the installation of a standalone fossil fuel boiler for new applications from 1st December 2024. For further information please see https://www.gov.ie/en/service/f8f1b-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant/
Derelict Property Top-up Grant
A derelict top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available for properties that are confirmed to be derelict. To qualify for the top-grant, the applicant must submit an independent report prepared by an appropriately qualified professional confirming that the property is derelict i.e. structurally unsound or dangerous. The property can also be deemed derelict if it is on the local authority’s Derelict Sites. The total grant available for a derelict property is therefore up to €70,000.
Grant Funds
The approved refurbishment works must be completed within 13 months of the date of the grant approval/approved in principle letter. On completion of the refurbishment works, some additional documentation will be required before grant funds can be paid including:
- Applicants and their contractors must provide evidence of tax compliance, with tax clearance from Revenue.
- Local Property Tax to be in order where applicable.
- Applicants must provide evidence such as appropriately detailed invoice(s) / receipts for the approved works undertaken.
- Applicants must provide proof of ownership of the property.
- Applicants must agree to the clawback conditions set out in Page 9.
A final inspection of the property is carried out on completion of the works and can only be arranged on receipt of the Certificate of Compliance for the electrical works and gas works, if applicable.
Apply
To apply for the grant, please complete the application form at the bottom of this page and submit it with the applicable supporting documentation to South Dublin County Council at vhu@sdublincoco.ie .
You can also contact Hazel Doran, Senior Staff Officer assigned to Vacant Homes for South Dublin County Council with any queries on 01-4149265.
