Please read the following information carefully before completing this application form.
If you require further information or assistance in completing your application for your affordable home, please call Íde on 058-22025 or Melanie on 051-849736 email affordablehomes@waterfordcouncil.ie and we will be happy to assist you.
What is the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme?
Local authorities make homes available at a reduced price for first-time buyers whose mortgage and deposit will not cover the price of the home and who are seeking to purchase a newly-built home. Through the scheme, the local authority will take a percentage equity stake in the home equal to the difference between the open market value of the property and the reduced price paid by the purchaser.
Where are the Affordable Homes located?
Waterford City & County Council has arrangements in place with a developer for the sale of homes at 2 locations:
- Elder Walk, Summerfields, Kilbarry, Waterford - 68 three bedroom homes (24 FOUR BED HOMES NOW SOLD OUT)
- Deerpark, Williamstown, Waterford - NOW SOLD OUT.
Do applicants need to have mortgage approval in place?
Applicants should submit a Mortgage Approval in Principle letter from their proposed lender confirming the maximum mortgage available to the applicants when applying for affordable housing. Purchasers can use the Local Authority Home Loan or a mortgage from any private lending institution, such as a bank or building society, to finance their purchase. Where a purchaser is not availing of the Local Authority Home Loan through the Council to purchase the home, a separate ‘Priorities Agreement’ between the Council and the bank providing the mortgage to the purchaser will be necessary. This agreement will be between the Council and the bank and will not impact on the purchaser but will record that the Council will retain an equity stake in the property and will provide that the bank’s interest will take priority.
What deposit is needed?
Financial institutions require that a minimum 10% deposit must be raised by purchasers. The Help to Buy Scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners can help with the deposit needed to purchase these affordable homes. Please see Revenue.ie for more details.
How to apply
Applications will be open on an online Waterford Submit platform only.
See a
Sample Form for what questions to expect in the official online application form.
From Tuesday 20th September 2022 at 9am the system will allow for input of all relevant data and applicants will be required to upload supporting documentation by clicking the 'APPLY' button to start. Remember to click 'SUBMIT' button at the end.
Applications for the Scheme will be accepted on the first-come-first-served basis. Therefore it is important that you gather all required documents in place and have them ready to upload. Please see Checklist of required documents below.
APPLICANTS SHOULD ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE FULLY COMPLETED THE APPLICATION FORM AND DECLARATIONS AND SUBMITTED THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, AS THE DATE AND TIME OF APPLICATION WILL BE ONE OF THE CRITERIA ON WHICH ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS WILL BE PRIORITISED UNDER THE COUNCIL’S SCHEME OF PRIORITY Who is eligible to apply for the scheme?
- Households which, using their combined deposit and their approved maximum mortgage, cannot afford the home at its open market value and
- Be a first-time buyer and not own or have a legal interest in a dwelling.
Provision is also made for:
o Divorced or separated individuals who do not retain an interest in a home previously owned with their former spouse/Civil Partner;
o A limited category of second-time buyers (those who purchased previously but whose home is now demonstrably too small for their household needs); and
o Applicants who previously purchased a dwelling but who sold it or became divested of it as part of insolvency/bankruptcy proceedings.
- The income limits applicable are generally no more than €74,600 per annum but exceptions may apply depending on maximum mortgage available to the applicant. It is advisable to submit an application together with your maximum mortgage to be assessed for eligibility - see Affordable Purchase Dwelling Arrangements Income Assessment Policy on how your income will be assessed.
- Have the right to reside indefinitely in Ireland. Citizens of a member state of the EU/European Economic Area can apply if they are living and working in Ireland. Non-Irish/EU/EEA citizens must have indefinite leave to remain in the State.
How will successful applicants be decided?
Selected applicants will be required to fully verify their application details and will be offered the opportunity to purchase a property in sequence until all properties have been sold.
The developer is not involved in the administration or the selection process for this affordable housing scheme.
CHECKLIST FOR APPLICANTS:
You should be ready to upload the following for each applicants in PDF or JPG/PNG format:
PAYE employees: Employer certified Salary Certificate for Applicant 1 and Applicant 2, Employment Detail Summary and payslips (3 if paid monthly, 6 if paid fortnightly and 12 if paid weekly). Self-Employed: Documents for previous 2 years: Audited/Certified Accounts, Tax Balancing Statement and Tax Payment Receipt.
- Proof of Citizenship: Passport or Birth Certificate
- Proof of Right to Reside in Ireland: GNI Stamp 4
- Photographic Identification (Current Valid Passport, Driving Licence, National Age Card issued by An Garda Siochana, an identification form with a photograph signed and stamped by a member of An Garda Siochana)
- Proof of Present Address dated within the last 3 months. [Current utility bill (gas, electricity, telephone, mobile phone or internet bill) or bank statement/credit union statement, document issued by government department that shows your address, Statement of liability P21 from Revenue].
- Proof of PPSN/TRN – Any one of the following documents: Statement of liability P21, Tax Assessment, Notice of Credits from Revenue, Letter from Revenue Commissioners addressed to you showing PPSN, employee details from Revenue, Receipt for social welfare payment, Letter from Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection address to you showing your PPSN, Medical Card, Drug Payment Scheme Card, Payslip, P45.
- Evidence of savings/deposit for each applicant. Statements must cover the last 3 months.
- Evidence of first-time buyers’ status, i.e., confirmation of eligibility for Help to Buy Scheme - print out from Revenue portal (myAccount (PAYE applicants) ROS (Self-assessed applicants) confirming names of applicant(s) and maximum entitlement under the scheme. (Note that applicants are considered first-time-buyers only if BOTH are buying their home for the first time) - x1
- Mortgage loan approval in principle letter stating the maximum mortgage available to applicants -x1
- Declaration signed and dated by both applicants - x1
WHAT CAN I DO TODAY?
1.Apply for
Help to Buy Scheme from Revenue to get proof of your first-time buyer status from the Revenue.
2.Download & print:
3.Apply for/gather and then photograph or scan the rest of your documents as listed in the checklist above, to have ready in PDF or JPG/PNG format .
4.
Register on the Waterford Submit platform, verify your account and remember/note your password. If you have participated in Expressions of Interest sought by Waterford City & County Council in Spring 2022 then you are already registered as a user on the platform. Make sure you remember your login and password and that you are able to log in. If not - reset it.
GUIDANCE ON SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
System requirements:
PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE A STABLE WIFI CONNECTION AND FAST INTERNET ACCESS WHEN APPLYING.
Device Operating System:
Up-to-date versions of any of the following:
Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android
Browser:
Any modern browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox)
Use of the platform:
When you click on “Apply”, you will need to register using your first name, last name, and email address. You will then need to accept the Waterford City & County Council Privacy statement and Acceptable Use Agreement before proceeding.
You will be presented with one form question per screen. Your answer will save when you click forward to the next question. To be able to submit a complete application you must answer all questions.
You can navigate to any part of the form using the navigation pane on the right-hand-side (on mobile, you can toggle this navigation pane using the hamburger icon on the top right-hand-side of your screen.
You can save a draft at any stage and continue the application at another time (you will need to be signed into the platform using the same email address and password to continue your draft).
Recommendations:
Because this is a first come-first served scheme, we recommend that you have all information to-hand including any files that you will need to upload.
In the case where you need to upload multiple files as an answer to the same question (for example, payslips), we strongly advise you to prepare a single PDF document containing all the files for that question. This will allow you to answer the question by uploading one file instead of wasting your time uploading multiple.
Where possible, we recommend you apply using a computer rather than a mobile device for ease of navigation.
Uploading documents:
You will be instructed to upload documents as part of application form. Click on the small computer icon to select files for upload. Ensure you see all files uploaded completely before moving to the next question.
- Documents and images uploaded must be well lit and legible
- Only documents saved as JPG/PNG/BMP or PDF will be accepted for uploads.
Confirmation:
- Remember to click 'Submit' at the end to make sure your application is considered. You will only be able to submit if all questions are answered.
- Within minutes of submitting your application you should receive an email notifying you that your application is complete. If you don't receive an email, chances are your application is still a draft and will not be considered.
If after reading the FAQs you still have questions, please contact our Affordable Purchase helpline today: 058 22025 or email: iuichonduin@waterfordcouncil.ie
(old FAQ no longer apply)