How much is the vacant property grant in 2026?
Up to €50,000 for a vacant home, or up to €70,000 if it is derelict. On an offshore island the limits are €60,000 and €84,000. The amount depends on a cost assessment by your local authority.
Vacant and derelict homes guide
Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (2026)
Bringing an empty or derelict house back to life? Here is what the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant pays, who qualifies, what it covers and how it works alongside SEAI grants.
Quick answer: Your local authority can pay up to €50,000 to refurbish a home that has been vacant for at least two years and was built before 2008, or up to €70,000 if it is derelict. On an offshore island the limits are €60,000 and €84,000. You must live in it as your home or rent it out, and you need approval before any work starts.
Updated 25 September 2026 · Checked against Citizens Information and SEAI
✓ Independent guidance✓ Checked against official sources✓ Help on WhatsApp
At a glance
| Vacant home | Up to €50,000 (€60,000 on an offshore island) |
|---|---|
| Derelict home | Up to €70,000 (€84,000 on an offshore island) |
| Vacant for | At least 2 years before you apply |
| Built | Before 2008 |
| You must | Own it or be buying it, then live in it as your main home or rent it out (registered with the RTB) |
| Paid by | Your local authority, from the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund |
| Time to finish | 13 months from approval |
| Limit | Two grants per person: one for a home to live in, one for a home to rent out |
Who qualifies?
- Vacant for 2 years: the property must have been vacant for at least two years immediately before you apply, and not left empty on purpose to get the grant.
- Built before 2008: (before May 2023 only homes built before 1993 qualified).
- You own it or are buying it: you can get approval in principle before you complete the purchase.
- You live in it or rent it out: as your main home, or rented and registered with the Residential Tenancies Board.
- Your tax is in order: tax clearance from Revenue and Local Property Tax paid where it applies.
- Not a company or developer.
Buildings that were never homes can qualify too, if they were in commercial or public use and now have the right planning permission. A separate Vacant Above the Shop grant covers converting space over a shop.
What does the grant cover?
| Type of work | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Demolition, site clearance, substructure, superstructure, services and extensions | Up to the overall grant limit (€50,000, or €70,000 derelict) |
| External completions: doors, windows and windowsills | €21,000 |
| Roof finishes | €14,000 |
| Roof completions: flashings, fascias, soffits, gutters and downpipes | €14,000 |
| Painting and decorating | €10,500 |
| Kitchen units | €7,700 |
| Internal completions: doors, frames, architraves, ironmongery | €7,000 |
| Work on the land around the home | €7,000 |
| Fascias, soffits and rainwater goods | €4,200 |
| Skirtings | €3,500 |
| Tiling and waterproofing in wet areas | €2,800 |
| Sanitary-ware and bathroom fittings | €2,800 |
| Professional fees, such as surveys | 10% of the net construction cost including VAT, up to €14,000 |
Source: Citizens Information, checked 25 September 2026. Limits include VAT, are based on a two-storey, 3-bedroom semi-detached home, and rise by 20% on offshore islands.
The grant does not cover knocking down a house and building a new one. Energy upgrade work funded by an SEAI grant can’t also be funded by this grant: each piece of work is paid by one scheme only. If you have a traditional house, you can get up to €5,000 more for expert conservation advice.
Buying or renovating an empty house? Ask us what applies.
Chat on WhatsAppCombining it with SEAI energy grants
You can apply for SEAI home energy grants as well, for example for insulation, windows or a heat pump, but the same work can’t be paid for twice. If external wall insulation is funded by SEAI, no part of that job can be claimed under the vacant property grant. Tell your local authority grant officer if you also apply to SEAI.
Planning both together usually gets you the most support. See the heat pump, wall insulation and windows and doors guides, or ask us on WhatsApp.
Conditions after the grant
- The local authority registers a charge on the property for 10 years, equal to the grant.
- If you sell the home, or rent it out when you agreed to live there, within 10 years, you repay all or part of the grant.
- A home refurbished to rent out must meet minimum rental standards, and you must show the tenancy is registered with the RTB each year.
How to apply for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant
Send the application to your local authority
Include proof the property has been vacant for 2 years (for example utility bills, or a signed affidavit), proof you own it or are buying it, planning permission if needed, a quote for the work and, for the derelict top-up, proof it is derelict.
The council reviews and visits
A qualified person checks the work is feasible and assesses the cost. You receive a letter of approval (or approval in principle if you haven’t bought yet), which you sign and return.
Do the work
You have 13 months from approval. Do not start before you are approved.
Send contractor and payment details
Give the council your contractor’s tax details, your bank details and the invoices. Grants over €10,000 need tax clearance.
Inspection and charge document
The council checks the work, and you sign the charge document that secures the grant against the property.
Grant paid
Once the council is satisfied, it pays the grant. For a rental, it pays once you show the RTB registration.
Free help on WhatsApp
Ask us about your home.
Tell us about your home and what you want to improve. We explain what may apply, help with the paperwork and, if you want, arrange a callback from a registered contractor where we have a partner in your area.
Frequently asked questions
How long must a property be vacant?
At least two years immediately before you apply. You can show this with utility bills, or a signed affidavit if bills are not available.
Can I get the grant before I buy the house?
You can apply while buying. The council can issue approval in principle before the purchase completes.
Can I get the vacant property grant to rent the house out?
Yes. You can refurbish a home to rent out, as long as the tenancy is registered with the Residential Tenancies Board. Each person can get two grants: one for a home to live in and one for a home to rent.
Can I get SEAI grants as well?
Yes, for different work. The same work can’t be funded by both schemes, and you should tell your local authority if you also apply to SEAI.
What if I sell within 10 years?
You will have to repay all or part of the grant. The council registers a charge on the property for 10 years.
Can HomeGrants help?
Yes. Ask us on WhatsApp about the vacant property grant and which SEAI grants to plan alongside it. Your local authority’s Vacant Homes Officer decides the application.
Related guides
Sources and review
We checked this guide against the official pages below on 25 September 2026. Grant rules change, so the official source always has the final word.