General Mortgage FAQs

• Things may have changed since you last got your mortgage – Central Bank Rules will now come into play, for instance. So how much you can borrow will be based on your income, your house price, and what you can afford.
• You can borrow a maximum of 90% of the value of the property.
• The amount you can borrow also depends on what you can comfortably afford to repay monthly, this typically should not exceed 35% of your disposable income. It’s that comfort cushion.
• Why not use our mortgage calculator to see what you can afford?

• Competitive interest rates including variable rate relative to your loan to value and fixed rates.
• For customers who are unsure of what type of rate to select, EBS provide the option of splitting the loan amount in two, so you can have both the variable interest rate on a portion of the loan and a fixed interest rate on the remaining portion of the loan.
• You can borrow up to 90% of the value of the property - Loan To Value (LTV).
• Up to 80% loan to value is available for a studio apartment valued at €275,000 or above, or a one bedroom property. We do not lend to buy studio apartments valued at under €275,000.
• Repayment term up to 35 years, depending on the age of the borrowers.
• You will need to be over 18 and security will be required before you can get a mortgage.

• You will need mortgage protection cover which can be arranged through us or you may get it through another insurance company.
• Keep in mind you will also need money for a valuation fee (you will need to use a valuer from the EBS Residential Mortgage Valuers panel), legal fees, maybe a surveyor and stamp duty. Also remember possible repairs and decoration costs on your new home.

• We take it you’re quite familiar with either a fixed or variable rate at this stage.
• But times have changed – and rates have changed along with them. You can check our current rates below, and our Mortgage Advisors would be more than happy to guide you.
• See a full listing of our variable and fixed interest rates..
• If you take out a mortgage with a fixed rate of at least one year and decide to repay all or part of it early, if you change to a variable interest rate; or, if you change to another fixed interest rate we may charge you an early breakage fee. You can find information about how we calculate and when we charge this early breakage charge by clicking on ‘Home Mortgages General and Regulatory Information’ below and then selecting ‘Our mortgage interest rate options’.

• Ah, monthly home insurance. At this stage, you’re probably well acquainted. So we’re sure you’ll appreciate three months free home insurance. Yep, it’s a pretty good deal.
• This is the sort of craic that comes with three months free home insurance. Yep - that’s 25% off your first year’s home insurance bill.
• You might also agree that’s it’s nice to get something a cheaper in the first year of your mortgage, when a little extra in your pocket will go a long way. Your local mortgage advisor will be happy to have a chat about this.
• Offer applies to new policies that start on or after April 1st, 2024. Click here for offer terms.

Building Energy Rating (BER) is a rating on the overall energy efficiency of a residential property or building. The BER scale ranges from A (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient)

From 27 January 2025, all our mortgage customers must give us a valid BER certificate / completed Building Certificate (stage payments) before their mortgage funds are released.

If your Letter of Offer is dated on or after 27 January 2025, you must give us a valid BER certificate to draw down the mortgage funds irrespective of the interest rate you have selected or the BER rating of the property.

If your Letter of Offer is dated before 27 January 2025, you only need to give us a valid BER certificate if you have chosen a Green interest rate. For more information on the interest rates available, please visit our website Mortgage Interest Rates.

A BER certificate is valid for 10 years. The mortgage must be taken out before the end date on the certificate.

If you are buying a new or second-hand property, the seller of the property will have the BER certificate. The estate agent or solicitor should be able to share it. Or the BER reference number will be available on the property listing. This reference number can be used to source the complete report from the SEAI National BER Register.

If the property you are buying is registered as BER exempt, you must provide us with documents that show this from the appropriate Local Authority Record of Protected Structures (PSR) prior to drawdown of your mortgage. The cost of a BER certificate varies based on factors like the provider and property size, so it is not included in our credit cost calculations.

• By rule of thumb, you can borrow 4.0 times your income.
• This will all depend on whether you’re a first time or next time buyer - the Central Bank rules will come into play here, and the amount you can borrow will be based on your income, your house price, and what you can afford.
• For First Time Buyers, maximum Loan To Value (LTV) available is 90% of the site cost/value plus cost of construction or 90% of the valuation on completion, whichever is lower.
• For Second Time Buyers, maximum Loan To Value (LTV) available is 90% of the site cost/value plus cost of construction or 90% of the valuation on completion, whichever is lower.
• We’ll also need to make sure you can still live within your means. The amount you can borrow also depends on what you can comfortably afford to repay monthly, this typically should not exceed 35% of your disposable income. It’s all about that comfort cushion.
• Why not use our mortgage calculator to see what you can afford.

• Competitive interest rates including variable rate relative to your loan to value and fixed rates.
• For customers who are unsure of what type of rate to select, we have the option of splitting the loan amount in two, so you can have the variable interest rate on a portion of the loan and a fixed interest rate on the remaining portion of the loan.
• Repayment term up to 35 years, depending on the age of the borrowers
• You will need to be over 18 and security will be required before you can get a mortgage.

• You will need to have Mortgage Protection Cover which can be arranged through us or you arrange it through another insurance company.
• You’ll need to be at least 18 to take out a mortgage and can choose a term of up to 35 years, depending on your age. Security will be required.
• Self-builders can draw down their cash in up to six stages, as your home is being built – so you can borrow only what you need across the period of the build (which is handy).
• Cash- flow is king when building your own home, so you can apply for interest only repayments for the first 12 months or until the final valuation, whichever comes first. Having an interest-only period will result in an additional cost of credit, which is the total cost of deferring capital during the interest-only period.
• You will need mortgage protection cover and home insurance. We can arrange this for you, no problem, or you can get it through another Insurance company.
• Keep in mind you will also need money for a valuation fee (you will need to use a valuer from the EBS Residential Mortgage Valuers panel), legal fees, maybe a surveyor and stamp duty. 

• Choosing between a variable or fixed interest rate for your mortgage doesn’t have to be tough – our Mortgage Advisors are pretty clued in on both, and will guide you through the best one for your situation. Phew.
• A fixed interest rate will stay stable during the period of your loan, while the variable rate will fluctuate. Check out our rates and our Mortgage Advisors would be more than happy to have a chat about the option for you.
• If you take out a mortgage with a fixed rate of at least one year and decide to repay all or part of it early, if you change to a variable interest rate, or, if you change to another fixed interest rate we may charge you an early breakage fee. You can find information about how we calculate and when we charge this early breakage charge by clicking on ‘Home Mortgages General and Regulatory Information’ below and then selecting ‘Our mortgage interest rate options’.
• And if you still can’t choose? Well, you don’t have to. You can have your cake and eat it too. For customers who are unsure of what type of rate to select, we give you the option of splitting the loan amount in two, so you can have the variable interest rate on a portion of the loan and a fixed interest rate on the remaining portion of the loan.

As well as home improvements, the equity in your home can be used for:

• Inheritance tax on a property
• Separation agreement payment
• Support for family buying a home of their own

It might sound complicated but our Mortgage Advisors have done this hundreds of times and are here to help you through the journey.

Ask them to call you back, and start the conversation today.

Budget, Budget, Budget

Know what you have to spend and be realistic with your budget. Think about including a contingency of 10% of the total cost as we all know surprises can arise once the work gets underway.

Qualifications are key

There are a lot of tricky building regulations so getting certified professionals on board to design, build and supervise your work ensures these are met. When picking an architect or builder, ask friends, family and colleagues for recommendations and check out their work.

Check out government grants

Everyone loves to save a little money so look into grants to see if they’re are available for the type of work you’re planning. This could help save you money on installation costs and reduce energy bills over time. The Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland (SEAI) is a good source of information. 

Don’t forget planning permission

Check with your architect to see if you’ll need planning permission. If you do, you’ll need both the full and final planning approval for the ‘grant of permission’ before starting the work and getting a formal loan offer from us. We will need to see the letter you received that lists any conditions to the planning.

The paperwork

If we give you the loan in stages we will ask you for certain documents for the build so we can release the next payment. Your architect, engineer or building surveyor will help you complete these documents. They are familiar with this process and your EBS Mortgage Advisor will always be on hand to help.

Other things

• You may need a solicitor to witness some documents when applying for a top-up mortgage.
• If you choose a top-up mortgage, your life assurance may be affected. If this is the case, you should review it to make sure it covers the extra amount you borrow. Similarly your home insurance may be affected if you're extending or altering the structure of your home. You should contact your insurers to check if any changes will affect your cover.
• Because the top-up mortgage loan is borrowed against the equity of your home, you'll need to have your home valued by an EBS approved valuer at a cost to you of €150. Your EBS Mortgage Advisor can tell you when you need to have the valuation done.

Ask your local Mortgage Advisor to call you back and start the conversation today.

Building Energy Rating (BER) is a rating on the overall energy efficiency of a residential property or building. The BER scale ranges from A (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient).

From 27 January 2025, all our mortgage customers must give us a valid BER certificate / completed Building Certificate (stage payments) before their mortgage funds are released.

If you are a self-build customer or topping-up your mortgage for works that need planning permission, you need to give us a completed Building Certificate confirming nZEB standards each time you ask for a stage payment. Your architect or engineer will complete these certificates. You can locate a copy of the Architect Certificate on our website under the Forms and Documentation section or by clicking on the link Architect Interim Certificate (PDF, 2 pages, 566KB).

• Good question. A ‘Switcher’ Mortgage is one where EBS is re-financing or taking over an existing mortgage borrowing from another Lending Institution. So you can switch your mortgage without switching home!

• Things may have changed since you last got your mortgage – new Central Bank Rules have come into play, for instance. So how much you can borrow will be based on your income, your house price, and what you can afford.
• Up to 90% Loan to Value is available on a switcher mortgages.
• Up to 80% loan to value is available for a studio apartment valued at €275,000 or above, or a one bedroom property.
• What you can borrow will also depend on what you can comfortably afford to repay monthly, this typically should not be more than 35% of your disposable income, however this may vary according to individual circumstances.
• Why not use our mortgage calculator to see what you can afford?

• Competitive interest rates including Variable Rate relative to your loan to value and Fixed Rates.
• For customers who are unsure of what type of rate to select, we give you the option of splitting the loan amount in two, so you can have the variable interest rate on a portion of the loan and a fixed interest rate on the remaining portion of the loan.
• You can borrow up to 90% of the value of the property - Loan To Value (LTV) *90% where you are not applying for additional money on top of your existing mortgage balance; or
• 80% for a one bed property or studio apartment valued at €275,000 or above. We do not lend for studio apartments valued at under €275,000.
• Repayment terms of up 35 years may be available.

• You will need mortgage protection cover which can be arranged through us or you can arrange it through another insurance company.
• We will need to see that you have made all your mortgage repayments in full and on time and that your mortgage is not in negative equity (when the balance of your current mortgage is greater than the current market value of your property).
• Keep in mind you will also need money for a valuation fee (you will need to use a valuer from the EBS Residential Mortgage Valuers panel), legal fees, and maybe a surveyor

• The big question – to go for a fixed or variable interest rate on your mortgage?  A fixed interest rate will stay stable during the period of your loan, while the variable rate will fluctuate. You can check our current rates below, and our mortgage coordinators would be more than happy to have a chat about the option for you.
• We offer both fixed and variable mortgage interest rates. See a full listing of our current rates.
• If you take out a mortgage with a fixed rate of at least one year and decide to repay all or part of it early, if you change to a variable interest rate, or, if you change to another fixed interest rate we may charge you an early breakage fee. You can find information about how we calculate and when we charge this early breakage charge by clicking on ‘Home Mortgages General and Regulatory Information’ below and then selecting ‘Our mortgage interest rate options’.

Building Energy Rating (BER) is a rating on the overall energy efficiency of a residential property or building. The BER scale ranges from A (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient).

From 27 January 2025, all our mortgage customers must give us a valid BER certificate / completed Building Certificate (stage payments) before their mortgage funds are released.

If your Letter of Offer is dated on or after 27 January 2025, you must give us a valid BER certificate to draw down the mortgage funds irrespective of the interest rate you have selected or the BER rating of the property.

If your Letter of Offer is dated before 27 January 2025, you only need to give us a valid BER certificate if you have chosen a Green interest rate. For more information on the interest rates available, please visit our website Mortgage Interest Rates.

A BER certificate is valid for 10 years. The mortgage must be taken out before the end date on the certificate.

If you are switching your mortgage to us, you must give us a valid BER certificate before you take out the mortgage, irrespective of the interest rate you have selected or the BER rating of the property. If you don’t have a valid BER certificate for your property, you will need to arrange to get one and you will have to pay for it. To check if your property already has a BER certificate, visit the SEAI National BER Register website. For more information on arranging a BER assessment of your property, please visit the SEAI website.

If your property or the property you are buying is registered as BER exempt, you must provide us with documents that show this from the appropriate Local Authority Record of Protected Structures (PSR) prior to drawdown of your mortgage. The cost of a BER certificate varies based on factors like the provider and property size, so it is not included in our credit cost calculations.

• The EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage is available to customers who are buying for the first time, moving, building their own home, buying a holiday home, topping-up an existing mortgage, switching a mortgage to us, moving to a different fixed rate or have fully completed building a high energy rated home. You can also apply if you are moving home and your negative equity mortgage is with us.
• You’ll need to provide a BER Certificate with a rating of A1, A2, A3, B1, B2 or B3.
• The BER Certificate needs to be dated in the last ten years.
• If you are building your own home we’ll need Architect Certificates that show the build work meets nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards.
• If you are undertaking renovations that don’t require planning permission, we’ll need your BER Certificate to confirm the home has a BER rating of between A1 and B3 before starting the work. Or, if the work being done is intended to improve the BER of the home to at least B3 then a BER Certificate can be provided after the work is done and the mortgage loan can then be changed to the Green 4 Year Fixed Rate.

• Home Address of the property being mortgaged.
• BER Grade A1, A2, A3, B1, B2 or B3.
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions Indicator Calculator.
• A “Valid Until” Date.

• You can move from your current EBS fixed rate early to get the EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate if there is at least four years remaining on your EBS mortgage. If you are on one of our fixed rates, we may charge you an early breakage charge to leave it. More information on how we calculate an early breakage charge can be found on the EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate brochure.
• You can leave your current EBS variable rate to get the EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage if there is at least four years remaining on your current EBS mortgage. We will not charge you an early breakage charge.
• You can find out more and an idea of what the cost of the mortgage will be from your EBS Mortgage Advisor at your local EBS Office.
• To apply, complete the Home Loan Interest Rate Application Form (PDF, 4 pages, 596KB) and post it with a copy of your BER Certificate to: 10 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, D02 R126.

• If you are building your own home you can apply for the EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate mortgage. We’ll need Architect Certificates that show the build work meets nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards.
• If you are undertaking renovations that don’t require planning permission, we’ll need your BER Certificate to confirm the home has a BER rating of between A1 and B3 before starting the work. Or, if the work being done is intended to improve the BER of the home to at least B3 then a BER Certificate can be provided after the work is done and the mortgage loan can then be changed to the Green 4 Year Fixed Rate.
• You can find out more and an idea of what the cost of the mortgage will be from your EBS Mortgage Advisor.
• To apply, complete the Home Loan Interest Rate Application Form (PDF, 4 pages, 596KB) and post it with a copy of your BER Certificate to: 10 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, D02 R126.

• Self-Build Mortgage Customers receiving stage payments whose first stage payment was not drawn down on the Green 4 Year Fixed Rate;
• The property does not have a BER between A1 and B3 or does not meet nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards.
• The property’s BER Certificate is more than 10 years old.
• You have a Buy to let mortgage.

• Before the end of your EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage term, we will send you our rates at that time. You can then choose a new rate.
• You can apply for the EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage rate again if:
  • Your property still has a BER rating between A1 and B3.
  • The BER Certificate is dated within the last 10 years; and
  • The EBS Green 4 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage is still available.
• If you do not select a rate, the Default Interest Rate at the time will be applied. The Default Interest Rate at the end of a Fixed Rate period is our Standard Variable Rate.

If your account was affected, we will have written to you.

We have a team of staff who are available to help you. Please ring our helpline team using the contact details contained in your letter.

Yes. You will need to confirm in writing (through the approved “Third Party Advisor” form (PDF, 2 pages, 436KB)) that we can liaise with the advisor in relation to the Tracker Mortgage Examination. You can contact our helpline team to request it.

What can I do with my cheque?

You can lodge your cheque. Lodging it will not affect your right to appeal, to complain to us, or to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman and/or pursue this matter through the Courts. You are not required to apply any of your redress and compensation payment against your mortgage account.

Why did I receive a payment instruction form instead of a cheque?

A payment instruction form is most frequently issued where there are multiple parties to a loan living at different addresses. We need you to complete this form so that we know how you would like us to split your payment.

Personal representatives of deceased borrowers

Where we were aware of the personal representative of a deceased borrower we also sent them a letter along with a payment instruction form. More about the identification documents (PDF, 2 pages, 46.9KB) that personal representatives need to provide to us before the cheque will issue to them.

Do I have the right to appeal the redress and/or compensation?

Yes, you have the right to appeal the actions we have taken to correct our failure. You can submit your appeal within 12 months of the date on the letter in which we provided full details of the redress and compensation payment.

(i) What can I appeal?

You can appeal any aspect of redress and compensation within 12 months of the date on your letter in which we provided full details of your payment. Our decisions on the level of redress and compensation was based on the information available to us in our review of your account. As part of the appeals process you can include any additional material financial information which you would like to have considered.

(ii) Who will hear my appeal?

All appeals are heard by a fully independent appeals panel in accordance with the Terms of Reference and Procedural Rules of the appeals panel. More details on the panel membership.

(iii) How do I begin an appeal?

Customers who received a letter providing detailed calculations of their redress and compensation payment can request an appeal application pack. To request this pack, please contact the helpline number provided in your letter. The pack will give you more details about the overall appeals process. Customers who decide to appeal will need to complete the appeal application pack and return it (together with any supporting documents relevant to their appeal) to the address set out in the form.

• Things may have changed since you last got your mortgage – Central Bank Rules will now come into play, for instance. So how much you can borrow will be based on your income, your house price, and your affordability.
• You can borrow a maximum of 90% of the value of the property.
• If you are buying a one-bedroom property or a studio apartment valued at €275,000 or above, the maximum loan amount is 80% of the property’s value.
• The amount you can borrow also depends on what you can comfortably afford to repay monthly, this typically should not exceed 35% of your disposable income. It’s that comfort cushion!
• Why not use our mortgage calculator to see what you can afford?

• Tracker interest rate retention is for our existing customers that want to sell their current home and buy a new home, while still retaining their tracker interest rate.
• The interest rate of your Tracker Retention portion of your new loan will be your existing Tracker interest rate plus an additional margin of 1%
• Competitive interest rates including Variable relative to your loan to value and Fixed rates
• For customers who are unsure of what type of rate to select, EBS provide the option of splitting the loan amount in two, so you can avail of both the variable interest rate on a portion of the loan and a fixed interest rate on the remaining portion of the loan
• Up to 90% Loan To Value (LTV) is available. Up to 80% Loan To Value (LTV) is available to studio apartments valued at €275,000 or above or one bedroom properties. We do not lend for the purchase of studio apartments valued at under €275,000.
• Max LTV of 80% for one bedroom properties
• Repayment term up to 35 years, subject to the age of borrowers
• You will need to be over 18 and security will be required before you can obtain a mortgage
• You will require Mortgage Protection Cover which can be arranged via EBS or you may purchase this through another Insurance company
• Keep in mind you will also need money for Valuation fees (you will need to use a valuer from the EBS Residential Mortgage Valuers panel), Legal fees, maybe a Surveyor and Stamp Duty fees. Also remember possible repairs and decoration costs on your new home.

• You can only avail of Tracker Retention for the amount of time remaining on your existing mortgage at the time of application, subject to EBS’s maximum age i.e. subject to clearance by your 69th birthday or on retirement if earlier or if you are self-employed by your 71st birthday.  Security will be required.
• Your existing home must be sold and your existing mortgage account must be cleared in full before you can draw down your new mortgage.
• Your new mortgage may only be used to purchase a new home which is to be used as your principal private residence.
• You will need to pay the costs of the sale of your existing home and the purchase of your new home (including professional fees)
• If you are approved for a new mortgage and Tracker Retention, a Letter of Loan Offer will be issued to you. The Letter of Loan Offer will be valid for 6 months, after which time you will need to make a new mortgage application, which will be subject to EBS standard lending criteria and terms and conditions.
• If you have sold your home and cleared your mortgage loan, to remain eligible for Tracker Retention, you must reapply for Tracker Retention at least 30 days before the expiry of your Approval in Principle or your Letter of Loan Offer. This is subject to EBS still offering the Tracker Retention at that time.

• You can retain your tracker rate on your new mortgage– but only up to the balance of your existing tracker mortgage. You will have to choose between a variable rate or fixed rate on the rest of your new mortgage.
• If you need a hand with this, our Mortgage Advisors will be more than happy to have a chat.
• The amount of your new mortgage that can avail of tracker retention will be limited to the balance of your existing mortgage on a tracker interest rate, at the time of the approval for your new mortgage. Any funds above this amount will be at the prevailing EBS new business rates.
• Your tracker retention interest rate will be your existing tracker interest rate plus an additional margin of 1%, on your current tracker mortgage balance, if you wish to sell your existing property and purchase a new principal residence.
• You will only be able to avail of tracker retention once during your relationship with EBS as a mortgage customer i.e. you will not have the option to retain your tracker interest rate again for a subsequent house move with another provider.
• Please keep in mind that if you choose to move onto a different type of interest rate at a later date, you will not be able to revert back to our tracker rate.
• If you take a mortgage with a fixed rate of at least one year and decide to repay whole, or part early, if you convert to a variable interest rate, or, if you change to another fixed interest rate you may incur an early breakage cost payable to EBS d.a.c. You can locate information as to how this early breakage charge is calculated and in what circumstances this charge arises in our Tracker Interest Rate Retention Mortgage General and Regulatory Information (PDF, 4 pages, 589KB).

The Mortgage Interest Tax Credit (MITC) was announced in Budget 2024. The tax credit is available on the increase in mortgage interest paid in 2023 over mortgage interest paid in 2022.

It is available to taxpayers with mortgage balances of between €80,000 and €500,000 as of 31 December 2022.

The Mortgage Interest Tax Credit is only available for the 2023 tax year.

To claim the credit, the following documents are required to be uploaded through Revenue’s online services:

• 2022 Mortgage Statement
• 2023 Mortgage Statement

Information on your mortgage interest is included in your EBS Mortgage Statements.

Customers received their 2022 Mortgage Statement in February 2023. 2023 Mortgage Statements will be issued from February 2024.

You can request a duplicate Mortgage Statement including your mortgage interest information by calling our Customer Service Team on 0818 654 322.

An individual will be entitled to claim the MITC for the 2023 tax year where they:

• Paid interest on a qualifying loan in the years 2022 and 2023.
• The interest on the qualifying loan increased from 2022 to 2023.
• The outstanding mortgage balance on 31 December 2022 was between €80,000 and €500,000.
• The property (situated in the State) was his or her principal private residence
• Local Property Tax obligations in respect of that property are satisfied

The amount qualifying for relief at the standard rate of tax, 20%, is capped at €6,250 per property. This is equivalent to a maximum tax credit of €1,250.

Yes, you will still be able to claim your tax credit. Where interest has been paid for less than a full year in 2023, an adjustment is required so that your claim can be assessed on a pro rata basis.

For full details on how to calculate this, please visit Revenue.ie

Customers who redeemed their mortgage in 2023 will need to request a Mortgage Statement which includes the required information on their mortgage interest by calling our Customer Service Team on 0818 654 322.

For all other information relating to the Mortgage Interest Tax Credit, please visit Mortgage Interest Tax Credit on Revenue.ie.