Ennis Town Council

Home Improvement Loan

A home improvement loan can be issued for essential improvements to a persons sole residence, where the works carried out will make significant improvement to the living conditions of the property. Applicants must own the dwelling and are subject to strict income limits.

Housing Acts 1966 - 1992- Housing Regulations 1980 (As Amended)

Loan for Improvement of Houses

  1. The Clare County Council (hereinafter called "the Council”) is prepared to consider applications for loans for the improvement of houses situated in the Administrative County of Clare (including the Urban Districts of Ennis and Kilrush), subject to the provisions of Section 11 of the Housing Act 1992 and subject to the terms and conditions of the Memorandum.

  2. Eligibility for Loan

    Loans may be made to persons in the following classes:
    1. Applicants who derive their income solely or mainly from the pursuit of agriculture where the rateable valuation or the aggregate of the rateable valuations of the land and buildings occupied by them does not exceed €50.00
    2. Applicants who derive their income solely or mainly from the pursuit of agriculture on land occupied by a parent of the applicants where the rateable valuation or the aggregate of the rateable valuations of the land and buildings occupied by such parent does not exceed € 84.00
    3. A person who is the sole earner and whose income did not exceed €36,800 in the Income Tax Year immediately preceding the date of application.
    4. Eligibility in a two income household will be decided on whether the principal income x 2.5 plus the second income exceed the upper limit of €92,000
  3. Application

     Application for a loan should be made on a Home Improvement Loan Application Form obtainable from the Housing Administration Section, New Road, Ennis, Co.Clare.
    1. An application fee of €100.00 must be lodged with the County Council with each application for a loan. The fee is non-refundable.
    2. A loan will be made only in respect of works for which planning permission is granted under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts 1963 to 1999, and the Planning & Development Act 2000.
    3. Where an application is made in respect of an extension or structural alterations to a house, one copy of the floor plan must accompany each loan application.
  4. Conditions

    Before making a loan the Council must be satisfied that:
    1. After the proposed improvement works are carried out, the house will be fit for human habitation,
    2. The proposed improvement works are necessary for the purpose of providing suitable housing accommodation,
    3. The house is suitable for improvement, and
    4. After the proposed improvement works are carried out, the house will be used as a dwelling by the applicant,
    5. For loans less than €7,600, the applicant must certify that to the best of his knowledge, his tax affairs are in order.
    6. In the case of loans for €7,600 or more, the applicant must submit a current tax clearance certificate issued to him by the Revenue Commissioners.
  5. Maximum Loan

    The amount of the loan shall not exceed €38,000 or 95% of the approved cost of the works, whichever is the lesser, excluding the amount of any grant or loan paid under any enactment in respect of the works.

  6. Security

    1. Where the loan proposed to be made does not exceed €15,000, the Council may, in its absolute discretion, make the loan without formal security. In such case, the borrower shall furnish to the Council a written receipt for the loan with an undertaking to repay it in fixed regular instalments of principal and interest over such period as may be determined by the Council.
    2. Where the loan proposed to be made exceeds €15,000 or where the Council decided to require formal security for a loan which does not exceed €15,000, repayment of the loan shall be secured by:
      1. An instrument vesting the ownership of the house in the Council subject to the right of redemption by the borrower.
      2. By charging the house under the Registration of Title Act 1964, with the repayment of the loan (together with interest payable thereon).
      3. By deposit with the Council of the land certificate issued under the said Act in relation to the house, or
      4. Where such ownership is already vested in a person other than the borrower subject to the right of redemption of the borrower, an instrument of further charge charging the repayment of the loan (together with the interest payable thereon) under this section.
  7. Legal Costs

    Where formal security is required, applicants for housing loans are advised that they will be liable in the event of loan approval, to pay to Clare County Council a sum equal to 25% of the professional legal fee payable by Clare County Council to its legal advisors, for work carried out by them in relation to the loan. The 25% contribution is paid towards legal work arising from the loan application other than work on the investigation of the legal title of any property to be secured, which is borne solely by the County Council. Applicants are also liable for all other outlays including Land Registry fees, search fees, etc. The legal costs and outlay will be deducted prior to payment of the loan. If the application for the loan is withdrawn, the applicant shall pay to the Council on demand the legal costs and outlay incurred by the Council up to the date of receipt of the notice of withdrawal.

  8. Ownership

    For the purposes of this loan, “ownership” shall be such interest or combination of interests in a house as will constitute either a fee simple (including fee farm grant) interest in possession or a leasehold interest in possession of such number of years unexpired at the date on which the loan under this Section in respect of the house is authorised by the Council as is equal to or greater than the sum of the term fixed for the repayment of the loan.

  9. Repayment

    1. A loan shall be repaid with interest within such period as the Council may determine.
    2. The maximum repayment period shall be five years where the loan does not exceed € 6,300 and fifteen years where the loan exceeds that amount. A loan in respect of improvement works consisting of the provision and installation of a fireplace or other solid fuel burning appliance in a house in which there is no such appliance shall be repaid over a period not exceeding 3 years.
    3. The rate of interest on a loan shall be such variable rate as decided by the Council.
    4. A loan shall be repaid by an annuity of principal and interest combined.
    5. All payments of principal and interest shall be made at such periods not exceeding a half year as the Council may determine.
    6. The borrower may, on giving one month's notice in writing, and on paying all sums due on account of interest, repay to the Council the whole of the outstanding principal of a loan, or any part thereof, being €50.00 or a multiple of €50.00.
  10. Recovery

    Any sum due to the Council by the borrower may be recovered by the Council from the borrower as a simple contract debt in any Court of competent jurisdiction.

  11. Only persons who are eligible on income grounds for a loan from the Council for the erection or purchase of a house will be considered for a Home Improvement Loan.

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