Never mind the contractor on self-build Help-to-Buy claims

I read your article in The Irish Times on the Help to Buy scheme and found it very helpful. You mentioned the list of qualifying contractors in your article. However, we are building our property ourselves through direct labour and not using a main contractor. Will this prevent us from claiming on the scheme?

Ms CL, email

I got a bit ahead of myself last week in outlining the application process for self-build applications under the Help-to-Buy incentive. As I outlined, it is up to the applicant – ie yourselves – to apply in the first place.

Once you draw down the first tranche of the mortgage and make your claim for relief, you give your solicitor your Help-to-Build access code and claim number which will have been provided by Revenue. The solicitor, presuming they are registered with Revenue, uses these to verify the claim.

There is no need to worry about the contractor as, for self-builds, they are not part of the process and therefore the qualifying list is irrelevant.

Send your queries to Dominic Coyle, Q&A, The Irish Times, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, or by email to dcoyle@irishtimes.com. This column is a reader service and is not intended to replace professional advice