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Affordable Housing

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To view full details of affordable properties and sites for sale under Wexford County Council's Affordable Housing Scheme Click Here

 Bridgemeadows 2 Bed  Affordable Housing Schemes   

Affordable Housing Schemes were introduced to help make home ownership more affordable for first time buyers. Local authorities or selected developers will provide new houses in areas where house prices have created an affordability gap for first time house purchasers. Houses will be offered for sale to approved applicants at cost price and therefore at a significant discount from their market value.  

There are three Affordable Housing Schemes which are (1) the 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme, (2) the Affordable Housing Initiative and (3) Part V.  

Creagh Woods 1999 AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCHEME

People applying to purchase an affordable house under the 1999 Scheme must meet the criteria below:

First time house buyers or people in need of housing with income below the following limits:

Single Income Household – The upper income limit is €40,000 gross in the last tax year.

Two Income Household – The upper income limit is based on the formula of two and a half times the main income plus the second income – not to exceed €100,000 in total.

OR

Tenants and tenant purchasers in local authority housing schemes. The income limits above do not apply to these applicants.

Part V Knockmullen GoreyAFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE (AHI)  

The Affordable Housing Initiative Scheme was introduced under the Sustaining Progress National Pay Agreement. It was created to provide houses for higher income earners who are unable to purchase a house suitable to their needs in the prevailing housing market from their own resources.

Wexford County Council will arrange to build these Affordable Houses under Licence Agreements, for sale to approved applicants with annual incomes which exceed the income limits under the 1999 scheme as outlined above.

Loans will be available from nominated lending institutions for the purchase of these houses.

PART V

Wexford County Council acquires houses under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. These are units acquired in private developments and made available for sale under the Affordable Housing Scheme.

SERVICED SITES  

An alternative housing option includes the construction of a house (maximum size 1,346 sq. ft.) on a serviced site provided by Wexford County Council. Serviced sites on land owned by Wexford County Council are sold at a reduced cost, generally 50% of the market valuation.  

If you are an eligible applicant and wish to build your own home, you may qualify to purchase a subsidised site. Further details with regards to the location, cost and availability of serviced sites is available from the Affordable Housing Section on (053) 9176274.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED  

To apply for a house provided under the Affordable Housing Schemes or a serviced site the following information is required:  

1)    Application form fully completed and signed  

2)    Evidence of your income for the last Income Tax Year as follows:

        a) P60 Income Tax Certificate and, if required, a Tax Balancing Statement
           (P21)

        b) Notice of Assessment (if applicable) from the Inspector of Taxes if
            self-employed

        c) P45 (if applicable) if you have changed employment during the last
            tax year

        d) Letter from Social Welfare (if applicable) indicating any financial 
            payments received during the last calendar year  

3)    Statements for previous 6 months relating to all Bank and Credit Union 
       accounts  

4)    Evidence of deposit available for house purchase (5%)  

5)    Four most recent consecutive payslips and completed Employers
       Certificate(s)  

6)    Letter from landlord confirming rent paid in respect of rented
       accommodation  

7)    Complete, sign and return the application form to the Affordable Housing
       Section, Wexford County Council  

APPLICATION PROCESS  

Any person interested in purchasing an affordable house or serviced site provided by Wexford Co. Council must complete and return an Affordable Housing Application Form to the Housing Dept., Wexford County Council, County Hall, Wexford. Fully completed applications will be assessed for eligibility (i.e. income criteria and first time purchasers) in accordance with the relevant affordable housing schemes.  

Eligible applicants are assessed under the scheme of priorities before affordable houses/serviced sites are allocated.  

Approved applicants may be allocated an affordable house/serviced site as near as possible to their preferred location, subject to availability of affordable houses/serviced sites and loan approval. Successful applicants must notify the Council in writing of their intention to accept the offer of an affordable house/serviced site within a specified period.

Approved applicants who accept an offer of an affordable house/serviced site must apply to Wexford County Council or to an approved lending institution for a loan to purchase the house/serviced site.  

A separate loan application form and fee of €60 will be required from approved applicants who wish to purchase their house/serviced site with a loan from Wexford County Council. The maximum loan from the Council for an affordable house/serviced site purchase shall not exceed €220,000. However the amount of loan will be determined by the Council having regard to the ability of the applicants to repay the loan.  

The maximum loan available towards the purchase of an affordable house/serviced site is 97% of the house cost. However a larger deposit may be payable if the loan repayment period is less than 30 years, if other funding is available, or if necessary during the house construction phase. Legal fees are also payable by house purchasers.  

Where a new house or site is sold at a discount from the market value under an affordable housing scheme by the County Council or by a developer under a Licence Agreement, and where the property is sold within 20 years from the date of the purchase, the person selling the property shall pay a percentage of the proceeds of the sale to the County Council. Further details are available on request.  

Finance

Wexford County Council has entered into agreements with the following mortgage providers only for the provision of affordable housing finance:

  1. Bank of Ireland
  2. EBS
  3. Haven Mortgages
  4. Ulster Bank

Applicants who are offered a property under the affordable housing schemes should contact the above financial institutions with a view to obtaining mortgage approval. Wexford County Council may consider an application for a mortgage if you have been refused by the above named institutions and are in receipt of refusal letters.

Application Forms

Application forms and further information are available from  Forms page, or from

Affordable Housing Section, Housing Department, Wexford County Council, County Hall, Wexford,

Terms and conditions apply. Existing applicants do not need to apply again.

Telephone 053-9176274 for further details.


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