Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant 2026: up to €70,000 for vacant and derelict homes
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The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (funded through the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund) helps you bring a vacant or derelict home back into use, either to live in or to rent out. It's run by your local authority, not SEAI, and it can be combined with SEAI energy grants for different parts of the work.
How much can you get?
| Situation | Maximum grant |
|---|---|
| Vacant property | €50,000 |
| Derelict property (vacant grant + €20,000 top-up) | €70,000 |
| Vacant, on an off-shore island | €60,000 |
| Derelict, on an off-shore island | €84,000 |
| Former commercial or public-use building converted into 2 homes | €70,000 (vacant) / €90,000 (derelict) |
| Former commercial or public-use building converted into 3 or more homes | €90,000 (vacant) / €110,000 (derelict) |
The grant includes VAT and is based on your local authority's cost assessment of the work, so you won't automatically get the maximum. Sources: gov.ie (last updated 26 August 2026) and Citizens Information, both checked 18 October 2026.
If you have a traditional house, you can also get up to €5,000 for expert conservation advice (approved before work starts).
Who qualifies
- The property has been vacant for at least 2 years immediately before you apply, and wasn't left empty on purpose to get the grant.
- It was built before 2008.
- You own it or are in the process of buying it. Only named owners can apply; it's not available to registered companies or developers.
- When the work is done, it becomes your principal private residence, or you rent it out and register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board.
- You have tax clearance and your Local Property Tax is paid (if it applies).
- You can get the grant at most twice: once for a home to live in and once for a home to rent.
Derelict top-up: the property must be on the Derelict Sites Register, or you need a report from a qualified professional confirming it's derelict (gov.ie describes this as structurally unsound and dangerous).
What work is covered, and the caps
Your grant is split by type of work. Each line has its own cap (including VAT), based on a two-storey, three-bed semi-detached house (Citizens Information):
| Type of work | Cap |
|---|---|
| Demolition and site clearance, substructure (foundations, floors, damp-proofing), superstructure (walls, roof structure, stairs), services (plumbing, heating, electrics) and extensions | up to the overall grant (€50,000, or €70,000 derelict) |
| External completions (doors, windows, sills) | €21,000 |
| Roof finishes | €14,000 |
| Roof completions (flashings, fascias, soffits, gutters, 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 waterproof finishes to wet areas | €2,800 |
| Sanitary-ware and bathroom fittings | €2,800 |
| Professional fees (surveys etc.) | 10% of net construction cost incl. VAT, or €14,000, whichever is less |
Island properties get caps up to 20% higher.
Not covered: demolishing the whole building and building a new one, or energy work already covered by an SEAI grant. You can apply to SEAI separately for that, for example for insulation, windows or a heat pump.
The 10-year charge (read this before you apply)
When the work is finished and inspected, you sign a charge for the grant amount, registered against the property for 10 years. If you stop living there (or stop renting it out, if that was the plan) or sell within that time, you repay:
- the full grant if it's less than 5 years,
- 75% if it's 5 to 10 years,
- nothing after 10 years.
If you're renting it out, the grant isn't paid until you show the RTB registration, and you have to show it again every year.
How to apply
- Talk to the Vacant Homes Officer at the local authority where the property is. Use the right form: there's one for a single home and one for converting a whole former commercial or public-use building.
- Send the application with: proof of vacancy (usually utility bills, or a signed affidavit), proof of ownership or that you're buying, planning permission if needed, proof of dereliction if claiming the top-up, and a quote for the work.
- The council inspects and assesses costs, then sends a letter of approval (or approval in principle if you haven't bought yet). Don't start before approval.
- You have 13 months to complete the work.
- Send contractor details, invoices and bank details, plus tax clearance if the grant is over €10,000.
- Final inspection, sign the charge, grant paid.
If you're refused, you can appeal in writing within 3 weeks.
Buying with a mortgage? First-time buyers and "fresh start" applicants who can't get commercial finance may qualify for the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan, which needs you to qualify for this grant.
FAQs
Can I get the vacant property grant for a holiday home? No. It has to become your main home or be rented out (with the tenancy registered with the RTB).
Can I combine it with SEAI grants? Yes, but not for the same work. Energy work covered by SEAI isn't covered by this grant.
Does my company qualify? No. Only named owners can apply; registered companies and developers are excluded.
How long does the property need to be empty? At least 2 years immediately before you apply, and it must have been built before 2008.
Sources
All checked 18 October 2026.
- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (gov.ie)
- Citizens Information, Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant