Below is a brief synopsis of all the schemes available under Croí Cónaithe, for more detailed information please refer to all supporting documentation contained in the drop downs.  Further information is available from the Vacant Homes Office, vacanthomes@wicklowcoco.ie

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched on 14 July 2022 and benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house/apartment into their principal private residence (PPR) or make it available to rent.

The Grant applies to eligible vacant properties in cities, towns, villages and rural parts of the country that have been vacant for two years or more prior to application and were built prior to 2007.

The grant is available to individuals or households. Applications can only be made by named individuals who own the property for which the grant is being applied for or who are actively engaged in purchasing the property.

A maximum of two grants is available to applicant(s) for two individual properties - one for a property that will be their principal private residence and one for a property that will be made available for rent, with a tenancy registered with the Residential Tenancies Board.

A grant of up to €50,000 is available to refurbish a vacant house/apartment into your permanent home or a rental property.  The grant is inclusive of the VAT cost of the works payable on completion of work based on vouched paid expenditure.

A maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant(s) to be derelict (i.e. structurally unsound and dangerous) or if the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.

In the case of a top -up grant in respect of a derelict property not on the Derelict Sites Register, an independent report prepared by an appropriately qualified professional is required to be submitted along with the application, confirming, to the satisfaction of the local authority, that the property is derelict and structurally unsafe & unsound.

From 31st March 2026, the Grant is being expanded to support bringing more vacant and derelict properties into use as homes. This includes the provision of top-up amounts to existing grant levels where vacant former commercial/public use buildings are being converted in their entirety into two or more residential units.

There is no maximum on the number of grants that an individual can apply for when applying for the Grant for the conversion of an entire commercial/public use building into two or more units, however only one grant, including top-up amounts, is payable per building.

• Application form entitled “Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant - Conversion of former Commercial/Public Use Building” to be completed for conversion of vacant former commercial / public use building into two or more residential units.

A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of a vacant property for occupation as a principal private residence or for a property which will be made available for rent. This includes the conversion of buildings which have not been used as residential heretofore, where one residential unit is being created, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.

A maximum top up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant(s) to be derelict (i.e. structurally unsound and dangerous) or if the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.

In the case of a top-up grant in respect of a derelict property not on the Derelict Sites Register, an independent report prepared by an appropriately qualified professional is required to be submitted along with the application, confirming, to the satisfaction of the local authority, that the property is derelict, unsafe & unsound.

These amounts are subject to upper limits for the types of work, specified below, having regard to a reasonable cost assessment by the local authority. The grant is inclusive of the VAT cost of the works.

Additional support on these maximum grant levels is available in cases where two or more residential units are being created in a vacant former commercial/public use building.   A top-up on existing grant levels of up to €20,000 is available where two residential units are being created and up to €40,000 where three or more residential units are created in the former commercial/public use building. This will bring the maximum grant levels to:-

• €70,000 in the case of a vacant former commercial/public use building where two residential units are created and €90,000 where three or more residential units are created and
• €90,000 in the case of a derelict former commercial or public use building where two residential units are created and €110,000 where three or more residential units are created.

This extended grant including top-up amounts is only available to new applications made on or after the 31st March 2026

The Expert Advice Grant of up to €5,000 will also be available to owners of former commercial/public use buildings who are considering converting them into two or more residential units.  Engaging the services of a suitably qualified professional will assist in informing owners of the works required, building and statutory requirements to be met and indicative costs for undertaking such projects.  There is no obligation on the owner to make a grant application after receiving The Expert Advice Grant.

The Expert Advice Grant provides funding of up to €5,000 (the total grant sought cannot exceed 67% of the overall cost inclusive of VAT) towards having an appropriately qualified professional provide expert advice to the owner of;

• A building with a commercial element and vacant above the shop space who may avail of the Vacant Above the Shop Grant to convert / refurbish the vacant space into residential unit/s, with the commercial element remaining.
• A former vacant commercial / public use building who may avail of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Conversion of former Commercial Building / public use building to convert the entire building into more than one residential unit.

Only one Expert Advice grant can be applied for per building. 

Applications can only be made by named individuals who own the building for which the advice grant is being applied, or who are actively engaged in purchasing the building. Where there is more than one owner of the building, all owners must be included on the application form.

The aim of the Expert Advice Grant is to support the provision of expert advice to enhance the building owner’s awareness and understanding of:

- The residential potential of vacant space in their building and what would be involved in bringing the vacant space outside of the commercial element into residential use, including the building standards, planning, legal and other requirements to be met, or

- The residential potential of a former commercial building, where a change of use is being considered, with the entire building being converted into residential use with two or more residential units being created.

The Expert Advice Grant is not currently available to registered companies, developers, undertakings etc.

The Grant applies to vacant ‘above the shop’ space in buildings in cities, towns and villages, where the building was built prior to 2008 and the space/existing residential unit(s) have been vacant for two years or more prior to application. The ground floor commercial space may be vacant or in use at time of application but must be remaining in commercial use.  The resulting units may be for the applicant’s principal private residence (PPR) and/or rent with a tenancy/tenancies registered with the Residential tenancies Board (RTB).

A grant of up to €95,000 is available for the refurbishment/conversion of the first above the shop unit, with an additional top up to €20,000 payable for the second unit created and a further €20,000 where three or more residential units are created, up to a maximum of €135,000.

Unlike the existing VPRG, there is no distinction between vacant and derelict properties for the grant. The grant payable is based on the number of residential units being delivered in the building and scheme conditions being met.

There is no maximum on the number of grants that an individual can apply for under the Grant, however only one grant, including top-up amounts, is payable per building.

Those applying for the Grant are required to indicate on the application form if they are applying in respect of a residential unit that will become their PPR and/or residential units that will be made available for rent.

Applicants who have previously availed of the existing VPRG for the purposes of a PPR are required to indicate this on the application form. As applicants can only have one PPR, if approved for this grant, the clawback of the original grant paid may become applicable if another PPR is being applied for.

Please see examples of possible scenarios below:

Scenario 1 – Ground floor commercial, upper floors vacant. 3 residential units ‘above the shop’ being created (previously non-residential) – based on maximum grant being paid.

€95,000 grant + €20,000 (for 2nd unit) + €20,000 (for 3rd + unit) = €135,000. Where Expert Advice Grant availed of in addition to the Vacant Above the Shop Grant – total package €140,000.

Scenario 2 – Ground floor commercial, upper floors vacant. 2 residential units ‘above the shop’ being created (previously non-residential)

€95,000 grant + €20,000 (for 2nd unit) = €115,000. Where Expert Advice Grant availed of in addition to the Vacant Above the Shop Grant – total package €120,000

Scenario 3 – Single story building with commercial element, vacant space (outside of commercial element) in building. 1 residential unit ‘above the shop’ being created (previously non-residential)

€95,000 grant. Where Expert Advice Grant availed of in addition to the Vacant Above the Shop Grant – total package €100,000.

The level of grant payable is contingent on the works being approved by the local authority as per the categories of works table (see below), with an approval letter being issued to the applicant. The approved grant will be paid on completion of the works, subject to a review of relevant invoices/receipts and a final inspection by the local authority.

Once a grant application receives approval, applicants must complete the works approved within a period of 18 months.

Where the newly created/refurbished residential units are being made available for rent, the Grant will be paid when a tenancy/tenancies has/have been registered for each of the units with the RTB and proof of same has been provided to the relevant local authority. Residential units created are not to be used for short-term letting/Airbnb4. Local authorities will carry out checks to ensure that this condition is being carried out to their satisfaction.

In respect of rental properties, all landlords are required by law to comply with the standards for rental housing and ensure that their properties are fully compliant with fire safety and minimum standards regulations for rental properties. See Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019, https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2019/si/137/made/en/print. As part of the declaration to be signed in the application form, applicants must agree to meet and comply with these standards.