Croi Conaithe (Towns) - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant

dvae

hi folks, just a quick question. I own an old cottage in county Galway which has not been lived in for at least 20 or so years.

the cottage is derelict. I've been living in a mobile home at the back of the house for the last few years, whilst trying to save enough money to pay

for renovations. I don't know how i could prove i haven't been living in the house, as the electricity for the mobile home is been drawn from the cottage.

But anyway dose anyone know if id be even eligible for the grant, given i am living on the land (not in the house) for the last few years.

Thanks...….

PeterTork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121062018#Comment_121062018

If it is clearly derelict/uninhabitable, I suspect a building professionals report would negate any need to prove it was vacant. You will need this anyway for the 20k top up. Best bet is to ring the Vacant homes officer in Galway Coco. Every council seems to be doing it slightly different.

PeterTork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121050899#Comment_121050899

You can do all the things you propose and qualify.

Dr.Tom

Has anyone made any progress with this yet?

Its now being advertised on radio along with other grants under a new campaign as www.gov.ie/doorsopen

A cup of te

Hi folks, have all of you had to provide certificate of exemption for planning permission? Where do you get the site layout plan? I did ring the coco but they couldn't tell me what it was unfortunately or where to get it. I have the other docs. Should the architect provide that? I had thought once plans showed your proposed extension as being under the threshold you wouldn't have to provide any further evidence.

Saulgudman

The 13 month timeline for completion is extremely challenging.

Has anyone been lucky enough to get it completed within this timeframe.

Surely the timelines will have to be more flexible

Dozz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121160571#Comment_121160571

Site Layout Plan is usually a drawing that forms part of a planning application. If you do not require planning you should get your Architect/Engineer to draw you up one.

A cup of te

@Dozz ta for that. Really thought when the house was already in existence and the extension was under the threshold there'd be none of this! The plans he gave me won't be the right scale for this exemption thing so I have to get in touch about that anyway. Will ask for a site layout plan while I'm at it.

designer79

I'm with Donegal too, my application sat on a desk fo months and nobody told me that Surveyor report need more details. When I finally spoke to someone about this I was told its my responsibility to follow up...hope you have heard back.

mickdw

It's not enough to say that extension is under sqm limit for exemption as there are multiple requirements to qualify for plannimg exemption in addition to sqm.

Previous extensions need to be considered.

Design of the extension including overall height, eaves height, location, free space remaining etc.

It is therfore reasonable for them to look for cert of exemption.

I wonder though, do they require an Engineers opinion or are they requiring a section 5 declaration from the council themselves?

section4

we are considering gong for this grant also, i had bought a site with an old house on it about 6 years ago, this old house was habitable until about 20 years ago, a developer bought it 18 years and knocked some of it down before going bankrupt. there is now only 2 and a half walls left, but the old floors and foundations ae still there.

1. will that qualify as it does not have 4 walls and has no roof.
2. it was deemed derelict by the council in 2015, they wrote to the bank who owned it at that time and said it was dereclict and for them, the bank to remedy the derelcition.
3. i had applied to built a new house on the site , and planning permission was granted after a serious struggle and a lot of money to get that planning permission. I asked him does it make any difference that i have planning on the site for a new house, he said no, just amend the existing planning for the grant application.
4. Because he has not been out to see the house yet, and to say whether it condition is acceptable for the grant i feel it a bit much to be preparing a planning application and getting quotes from contractors for something that mght not be approved for the grant due to its condition, ie it needs new walls and roof just to start with before anything else, he might come out and say, oh that house is too far gone. I phoned the architect who did my previous planning permission and he said has did a few of these applications, he said he might come out and say that house is too far gone, its not a house anymore. You would think you could email a photo of the house and they could say yes that is acceptable to apply for the grant , at least then you are not wasting time and money employing and architact and builders quotes oly for him to come out and say that house is too far gone.
5. 
   

ajarms86

I believe it says you are OK to move into the property once you have made your application and can prove it was vacent for 2 years: gov FAQs here:

bf727a33-a830-4b09-8917-aaf4e324a886.pdf https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/256936/bf727a33-a830-4b09-8917-aaf4e324a886.pdf#page=null

Dr.Tom

Hands up who has or knows of someone that has achieved this grant.

We are seriously considering not applying for it due to the timeframe and uncertainty regarding qualification and payments.

A work colleague of a friend of mine is on his eight week waiting for an assessor to call to his property in Cork city.

Diyselfbuilder

Has anyone been paid the grant after inspection ?

syrgian

Hi! I sent an email to the South Dublin County Council Vacant House Unit, asking if I could move in after applying to the grant. It's been 3 week, no answer. Is it possible that they don't have anyone working in that department at all? Can these issues be escalated to someone from the national government if the council specific address is unresponsive?

harry999

Query on SEAI & Vanant Property Grant => My understanding is you can put an expense against seai grant or vacant home grant - but not both... So could you put the heat pump against one stop grant and get the 10.5k grant from seai ?(or to claim any grant from seai - all items on the one stop grant must be claimed from seai ? i.e windows, doors, insulation etc) All the other work for one stop like windows, vents, ext insulation etc would be done but this expense not claimed from seai - it would be put into vacant home grant ? Anybody put in vacant grant application and done similar to this ? Thanks

ldoll

I didn't realise there was a deadline for works to be completed!!

ldoll

@syrgian Absolutely get in contact with a local councillor! Ridiculous that you can't get a definit answer. To my knowledge it only need to he vacant before you're approved but I get why you're hesitant

ldoll

@Dr.Tom have a look at this:

https://m.independent.ie/regionals/louth/dundalk-news/louth-womans-dream-cottage-renovation-turned-into-a-nightmare-after-vacant-homes-grant-shortfall/a1931014236.html

ldoll

@Dr.Tom I'm been O.K.'d 50k but who knows what they'll actually give! Ot to mention will my bank (AIB) actually agree...

Walshy933

We are still waiting for a response from Fingal county council after finally submitting everything for our application.

The application form you fill out states you can show proof of being in the process of buying the house, but what we found was the council telling us we needed the deeds of the house in our name and the LPT summary, both of which, could not be obtained until we closed the sale.

I cant understand why you’re told one thing on the official application document, and then another thing by the council.

Now we can’t get a response from them, and who knows how long it will take for them to send a surveyor out to the property so we can begin the works.

Has anyone else gone through fingal county council for this?

syrgian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121467210#Comment_121467210

Are you paying rent on top of mortgage while you do this?

I will be in a similar position soon, and I think I will give up on the VHU grant and pay the repairs out of pocket. I do not want to pay 2 months of rent (5000€) just to be told "oh yes, we will approve 10k€ worth of work once we send a surveyor in 6-10 weeks". And then the bank denies the additional charge on the house so I am simply down 10k€ by paying rent + mortgage.

I have a surveyor report saying they are high risk problems (e.g. rusty old heating system), and I will definitely send it to them, but I have very little faith on this grant.

syrgian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121461149#Comment_121461149

They answered today after I sent a second email. They said it will take 6-7 weeks just to say if they approve the grant or not. That's €5k in rent for me (on top of the mortgage).

In the SDCC website it says:

13 - Can I move into the property once I submit an application to the local authority?

No. Confirmation of vacancy must be validated and verified by the local authority prior to grant

approval / approval in principle

heddie77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121467210#Comment_121467210

we needed sale gone through also before approved

heddie77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121346573#Comment_121346573

as far as i rem you cant start any works until you are approved so i would say u can move in but do no works until approvd

heddie77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121285967#Comment_121285967

we have been paid

heddie77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121276975#Comment_121276975

we have been paid its a long haul and alot of loans in between but got there in end - handed most of it over to ppl we owed which was a pain!

Snopake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121518996#Comment_121518996

Great to hear! Did you have a main contractor or did you manage the work yourselves?

All Seeing

Great thread, very much appreciate all that has been posted by all on it. Very informative.

Just wondering if anyone knows, can you switch from the contractor on your quotes to a different similarly priced contractor after application?

Even just in terms of kitchens, if you submit a quote from X kitchens for your application but decide 6 months later to go with Y kitchens would that nullify the amount approved related to the initial application?

Thanks!

Joebobs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121518991#Comment_121518991

congrats .. so can i ask ...

when did you first apply (submit for forms)?

did you need structural work to be done?

how tight was getting it all done in the 13 month deadline?