Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 March 2018
619. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the variances that can exist between the Rebuilding Ireland calculator tool on a website (details supplied) and the actual response from a local authority to a paper-based application; the way in which the variance can be up to 20% of the loan amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13606/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, was introduced on 1 February 2018.
As with the previous local authority home loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a local authority product and loan applications are made directly to the local authority in whose area the property proposed for purchase is situated.
The Home Loan calculator on www.rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie gives an indication of how much you can borrow over the maximum term allowable and what the estimated repayments would be. A shorter term will reduce the amount you can borrow. All indicative repayment amounts are exclusive of Mortgage Protection Insurance (MPI) which is a requirement of borrowing. Please note that this calculator gives indicative results for illustrative and guidance purposes only and is not an offer of a loan.
The final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants. Loan applicants who are dissatisfied with a loan application decision of a local authority Credit Committee may appeal that decision to the local authority. Details of the appeals process can be obtained from the relevant local authority.
