Self-employed guide · Ireland
Self-employment is no barrier to a mortgage — but the rules are different. Here's what lenders need, how your income is assessed, and how to put your strongest case forward.
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Yes — and the core limits are identical to those for employees: up to 4× income for first-time buyers (3.5× for movers), and a 10–20% deposit. The difference is entirely in how you evidence your income. Where an employee hands over payslips, you provide accounts and tax records that prove a sustainable, repeatable income.
This catches people out. If your year-two profit is lower than year one, most lenders won't average the two — they'll use the lower, year-two figure on its own. So a recent dip can cut your borrowing capacity more than you'd expect.
If there's a genuine reason for the dip — a one-off cost, reinvestment, a slow quarter that has since recovered — that context can matter to the right lender. We make sure it's presented, not buried.
Not all lenders treat self-employed income the same way. Some use the LOWER of your last two years' profit; others use the AVERAGE.
Year 1: €48,000, Year 2: €55,000 → Lower of two: €48,000; Average: €51,500. Some lenders take the lower of your two years; others average the two. That €3,500 difference means you could borrow up to roughly €14,000 more with an averaging lender (≈4× the difference). A mortgage broker can identify which lender gives you the best outcome for your income pattern.
Enter your last two years' net profit to see the two ways lenders assess self-employed income — and how much that choice changes what you can borrow.
Year 2 is your most recent year.
Enter both years' net profit to see how each lender's method affects your borrowing.
Indicative estimate only — not a mortgage offer or approval. This shows the standard CBI lending limits (first-time buyers 4.0× income, movers 3.5×); some lenders lend more in limited cases. Your actual figure is determined by a full adviser assessment (€300), which reviews your accounts, structure and the right lender for your figures.
If you trade through a limited company, your income picture is more nuanced:
Because directors can be assessed so differently across lenders, choosing the right one is often the single biggest lever on your mortgage size.
It varies by case, and you should treat blanket claims with caution. In our experience Haven is often accommodating for self-employed applicants, and Avant can work well for contractors. Others differ in how they treat retained profit, add-backs and a profit dip.
The honest answer is that the best lender is the one whose income-assessment method best fits your figures — which is precisely what a comparison is for.
Yes. Self-employed people get mortgages in Ireland every day — the lending limits (4× income for first-time buyers, 3.5× for movers, 10–20% deposit) are the same as for employees. What differs is how your income is evidenced and assessed: lenders want to see a track record of accounts rather than payslips. With the right preparation and the right lender, self-employment is no barrier.
Most lenders want a minimum of two years' trading with two full years of accounts, prepared by a qualified accountant. A small number will consider strong cases on a different basis, but two years is the standard expectation. You'll also typically need your Form 11 (Revenue) and a tax clearance certificate.
It depends on the lender. Some take the average of your last two years' net profit (or salary plus dividends for a director); others take the lower of the two years to be conservative. Which approach a lender uses can change your borrowing capacity significantly, which is exactly why comparing lenders matters when you're self-employed.
If year two is lower than year one, most lenders will use the year-two figure on its own — the lower number — rather than averaging the two. A dip in your most recent year therefore has an outsized effect. Where there's a credible explanation (one-off costs, investment in growth), we present it to the lenders most likely to take it into account.
There's no single "best" — it depends on your structure (sole trader vs director), your profit trend, and how you draw income. In our experience Haven is often accommodating for self-employed cases and Avant can suit contractors well, but the right answer is the lender whose income-assessment method fits your figures. As a broker on our lender panel we check them all before recommending one.
See which lenders' income rules fit your accounts before you apply — run your figures free in about 60 seconds, then speak to Francis about your case.
Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home.
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