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- SEAI-Registered BER Assessors · Cork City & County
Most Irish lenders offer a lower fixed rate on energy-efficient homes, and the BER certificate decides whether you qualify. Here is the rating most lenders look for, how the new scale affects it, and what to do if your home is close.
The basics
A green mortgage is a lower fixed rate that lenders offer on energy-efficient homes. The proof they ask for is the property's BER certificate, so the letter on that certificate can change what you pay every month.
Most Irish lenders now have a green rate of some kind. The discount is usually a fraction of a percentage point, but on a mortgage that runs for decades a small rate difference adds up to a real sum.
The threshold
Criteria differ between lenders and change over time, but as of September 2026 the pattern is clear.
AIB and EBS, for example, offer their green rates on homes rated A0, A or B on a certificate issued since 24 May 2026, or A1 to B3 on an older one. See how the BER scale changed.
Its EcoSaver rate applies across the scale, with a bigger discount the better the BER. Existing customers can apply for an improved rate if their home's BER gets better.
New homes are built to near zero energy standards. PTSB, for example, says buyers of new builds and self-builders qualify for its green rate automatically.
A BER issued before the scale change stays valid for ten years, so a home with an A1 to B3 certificate can still use it. How long a BER lasts.
Step by step
Look the property up on the national register by MPRN or address. Here is how.
For most lenders that means B or better. If it already qualifies and is still valid, you may not need anything new.
If the home is just short, the advisory report shows which upgrades would move it. A new BER after the works records the improvement.
The lender or broker will ask for the BER certificate or number and confirm whether the green rate applies.
Close to the line
A home rated C is often closer to a green rate than it looks.
Lender criteria and rates change often. Always confirm the current terms with the lender or a mortgage broker before you decide. We are BER assessors, not financial advisers.
At lenders that set the line at B, yes. AIB and EBS, for example, accept A1 to B3 on certificates issued before 24 May 2026, and A0, A or B on newer ones.
Only if there is no valid BER for the property, it has expired, or you have improved the home and want the better rating recognised. A valid existing BER can usually be used as it is.
Often, yes. Several lenders let existing customers move to a green rate with a qualifying BER, usually at the end of a fixed term. Check with your lender whether early switching carries a cost.
Not always. The green discount is one factor alongside cashback, fees and the fixed term. A mortgage broker can compare the full offer, not just the headline rate.
Yes. Lenders ask for the BER certificate or the BER number so they can confirm the rating and that it is still valid.
Buying, switching or just finished upgrading? Tom is an SEAI-registered BER assessor in Cork and can publish a BER your lender can check. Send the address for a fixed quote.
