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Use this checklist before you rely on FHS support
The First Home Scheme can be useful when your mortgage and deposit do not reach the price or build cost of a qualifying home. But it is not enough to simply be a first-time buyer and like a property. The scheme has several gates that need to line up at the same time.
This checklist is written for planning, not legal approval. Use it before paying booking deposits, signing contracts or assuming the FHS amount will be available at closing.
| Gate | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer status | First-time buyer or eligible Fresh Start applicant | If the applicant type is wrong, the rest of the calculation does not matter. |
| Age and residence | Applicant is an adult and the home will be a principal private residence | FHS is not designed for investment or holiday-home buying. |
| Participating lender | Mortgage approval comes from a lender that works with the scheme | The scheme sits beside the mortgage process; lender route matters. |
| Maximum mortgage position | You have borrowed the maximum available from the participating lender, up to four times income | FHS is a gap-filler, and applicants using a Macro Prudential Exception are not eligible. |
| Deposit | You can meet the required deposit contribution | The scheme does not remove the need for buyer funds. |
| Property route | New-build, self-build or qualifying tenant home purchase route | Ordinary second-hand purchases are not the same as qualifying FHS routes. |
| Price ceiling | The home is within the relevant local authority and route ceiling | An over-ceiling property can fail even if your income and mortgage look suitable. |
| FHS funding range | The gap is at least 2.5% of the price or build cost, or €10,000 if higher, and does not exceed the applicable 20% or 30% maximum | A gap can be too small as well as too large for FHS funding. |
Step-by-step eligibility check
- Confirm your buyer route — first-time buyer, Fresh Start applicant, tenant purchaser or self-builder.
- Speak to a participating lender — get a realistic maximum mortgage figure, confirm the up-to-four-times-income rule and make sure the application does not use a Macro Prudential Exception.
- Check your deposit position — savings, gifts, Help to Buy and site equity need to be treated correctly.
- Check the property route — new-build, self-build and tenant purchase have different documents and timing.
- Check the local authority ceiling — use the actual local authority area, not a rough county guess.
- Estimate the funding gap — only after the mortgage, deposit, route and ceiling checks are realistic.
- Get solicitor and lender confirmation — the final FHS customer contract and conditions must be reviewed before signing.
For a quick number check, use the First Home Scheme Calculator and the FHS Price Ceiling Lookup. Treat both as planning tools, not approval letters.
Common eligibility blockers
| Blocker | What usually goes wrong | What to do before applying |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong property route | The buyer assumes FHS covers any second-hand home | Check whether the property is new-build, self-build or a valid tenant purchase route. |
| Over the price ceiling | The home is above the local authority limit | Check the ceiling before making an offer or agreeing build cost assumptions. |
| Mortgage not maximised | The buyer uses an early rough figure instead of lender-approved capacity | Get lender approval and confirm whether the maximum borrowing requirement is satisfied. |
| Macro Prudential Exception | The mortgage approval uses an income-multiple exception | Confirm with the participating lender that the mortgage is not using an MPE. |
| Deposit confusion | Help to Buy, gifts, site value or savings are mixed together incorrectly | Ask the lender and solicitor how each funding source is treated. |
| Fresh Start misunderstanding | A previous owner assumes they qualify automatically | Read the Fresh Start guide and prepare supporting documents before relying on FHS. |
Worked example — eligibility is more than income
In this illustrative example, Sarah has mortgage approval for €310,000 and savings of €30,000, with no Help to Buy or other deposit support assumed. She wants a new-build apartment costing €365,000. The apparent funding gap is €365,000 − €310,000 − €30,000 = €25,000, but the deposit check fails: 10% of €365,000 is €36,500. Her savings cover only 8.22%, leaving a €6,500 deposit shortfall. A funding gap alone does not establish eligibility.
| Check | Result |
|---|---|
| Buyer status | First-time buyer |
| Lender | Participating lender confirmed |
| Deposit | Fails on the stated inputs: €30,000 is below the €36,500 minimum. No unspecified support is counted. |
| Property route | New-build apartment |
| Local authority ceiling | Must be checked independently; passing the ceiling cannot cure an insufficient deposit. |
If Sarah adds €6,500 of qualifying savings, her deposit becomes €36,500 (10%) and the remaining gap changes to €365,000 − €310,000 − €36,500 = €18,500, or about 5.07% of the price. The deposit and funding-range arithmetic now fit, but she must still confirm that €310,000 is the maximum mortgage available from the participating lender, that no Macro Prudential Exception is used, and that the buyer, property and local authority ceiling checks all pass. Buying costs and a cash buffer are separate from this deposit example.
If Help to Buy supplies any deposit funds instead, state the actual approved amount, recalculate the remaining gap and apply the 20% FHS maximum when HTB is used. Do not keep the original €25,000 gap after adding funds. Check the official FHS eligibility rules before relying on support.
Eligibility checklist before you contact FHS
- Save your mortgage approval and confirm it is with a participating lender.
- Check whether you are a first-time buyer or a Fresh Start applicant.
- Confirm whether the property is new-build, tenant purchase or self-build.
- Use the local authority ceiling lookup for the exact property area and route.
- Estimate the FHS gap only after mortgage and deposit figures are realistic.
- Ask your solicitor to review any scheme/customer contract documents before signing.
- Read the equity share, service charges and redemption guides so you understand the long-term position.
Frequently asked questions
Is the First Home Scheme only for first-time buyers?
It is mainly designed for first-time buyers, but eligible Fresh Start applicants may also qualify in specific circumstances. Do not assume previous ownership automatically blocks or automatically qualifies you.
Can I use FHS if the property is above the local authority ceiling?
Generally, the property must be within the relevant local authority price ceiling for the property type and route. Check the official ceiling table and do not rely on county shorthand.
Do I need a participating lender?
Yes. FHS sits beside a mortgage approval process, so your lender route matters. You must borrow the maximum amount available from that lender up to four times income and cannot use a Macro Prudential Exception.
Can my funding gap be too small for FHS?
Yes. The minimum equity share is 2.5% of the property purchase price or build cost, or €10,000, whichever is higher. The main calculator checks this minimum as well as the 20% or 30% maximum.
Does Help to Buy prove I am eligible for FHS?
No. Help to Buy and FHS are separate schemes. Passing one test does not automatically mean you pass the other.
Can I use FHS for a normal second-hand home?
Standard FHS is not a general second-hand home support. The tenant home purchase route is separate and applies only in specific tenant-purchase situations.
Should I apply before I find a property?
You can learn the rules early, but the final FHS application depends on property details, lender approval, ceiling checks and solicitor documents. Treat early estimates as planning only.
Sources & references
Related calculators
Use these tools for the numbers behind this guide.