There are two stages to applying for a home improvement grant. You shouldn't start building work until you get formal approval from the Housing Executive. Building control and planning permission are not the same as formal approval.

• Preliminary stage
  
• Formal stage
  
• Carrying out the improvements
  
• How long will my application take?
  

Preliminary stage

Your grants application starts when the Housing Executive receives your Grants preliminary enquiry form. If you are applying for a Disabled facility grant you must also include a recommendation from an occupational therapist.

The Housing Executive may not agree to accept any new preliminary enquiries while their grants programme is affected by the funding shortfall. To find out more about this temporary measure, please visit 'Prioritisation of grants' page.

The Housing Executive should acknowledge your application within ten working days. Contact your local Grants Office if you haven't received any acknowledgement within ten days.

The Housing Executive will assess your application by looking at:

• whether you are allowed to apply for a grant
• whether you can get a grant for your building
• whether a grant is appropriate.

The Housing Executive may carry out a preliminary Test of Resources if the grant you have applied for requires one. The Housing Executive should then carry out a technical survey and draw up a schedule of work within 12 weeks. This is a detailed list of all the work that needs to be carried out.

This allows you to get an estimate of how much you will have to pay towards the cost of the improvements. You can now decide whether or not you want to continue with your grant application.

You shouldn't start any work until the Housing Executive gives you formal written approval. However, you may be able to start work before applying for a Repairs grant.

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Formal stage

If you decide that you want to continue with your application you must make a formal grant application. You usually shouldn't start any work until the Housing Executive gives you formal written approval. Contact your local Grants Office if you are unsure whether or not you can start work.

If necessary the Housing Executive will carry out a formal Test of Resources. A 'Test of Resources' is a means test to work out how much you should pay towards the cost of the work.

The grant you receive may not cover the actual cost of work, since the maximum amount of money available for each grant is capped. The Housing Executive only carries out a test of resources if you are applying for:

• a replacement grant
• a renovation grant
• a Disabled Facilities Grant
• a common parts grant.

If the Housing Executive decide to award a grant you will receive formal written notice within six months. This outlines:

• the amount of grant you will receive
• how much you must contribute to the cost of the improvements.

The grant isn't guaranteed to cover the actual cost of the building work even if you get a full grant.

Landlords have to make a contribution if applying for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) grant. The amount depends on the difference in rental value between the property before and after the building work is carried out.

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Carrying out the improvements

You should only start any work after you have received formal written approval from the Housing Executive. The work must be carried out by an approved contractor. You must complete the work within 12 months of receiving the formal written approval.

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How long will my application take?

The length of time it takes for the Housing Executive to process your application depends on:

• the level of demand
• the money available
• you submitting all necessary documentation to the Housing Executive on time.

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