Start with the current request
The HSE lists property valuation evidence among the supporting documents for the financial assessment (HSE, n.d.-a). Use the current application pack rather than a copy another family used some years ago. If the office has written to you, send the relevant request with the enquiry.
Ask about the required date, format and any requirements for the professional preparing the report. Confirm whether an existing report is suitable before paying for a replacement.
Identify what property is involved
The application may concern a home, land, another dwelling or a shared interest. Ask the person advising on the application to identify what interests must be addressed. A house and adjoining farm should not be treated as a single uncomplicated asset without checking the brief.
Provide the address, available plans, occupation details and relevant title information through the agreed channel. Explain any access restrictions or significant changes in condition. The initial contact form needs only a short introduction; detailed financial or care records are not needed to open an enquiry.
Make the inspection straightforward
Agree a contact who can arrange access and explain the visit to the occupier. Confirm which buildings or parcels need to be seen. If the owner is away from home, identify who has permission to provide access and who can answer property questions.
Make a short list of known works, defects and unusual arrangements. There is no need to stage the property as if it were being photographed for sale. The inspection needs an accurate picture of what is being valued.
Keep the property report within its role
Questions about eligibility, assessable assets, the three-year cap, a nursing home loan or a proposed transfer belong with the HSE and the appropriate legal or financial adviser. The valuation should not be presented as a way to secure a particular contribution or funding result.
Keep a copy of the instruction, the final report and the HSE request together. If a query arrives later, first establish whether it concerns the description or value of the property, or the way the scheme treats it. That distinction helps get the question to the right person.
A useful first step
What to gather before you enquire
- Current application requirements or HSE correspondence
- Property address, description and interests concerned
- Requested valuation date, format and deadline
- Available plans and occupation details
- Authorised contact and arrangements for inspection
Start with a brief introduction. Detailed or sensitive documents can follow through an agreed channel.
Common questions
Will the valuer decide what we pay towards care?
No. The HSE carries out the financial assessment. A valuation is supporting property evidence and does not decide eligibility or the amount payable.
Can one report cover a house and farmland?
Explain the full holding and provide the HSE requirements first. The scope may need to distinguish different interests, parcels and uses. Suitability, expertise and reporting requirements must be agreed before acceptance.
Sources and scope
Health Service Executive (HSE) (n.d.-a) Fair Deal: Financial assessment — how much you pay towards care. Read the source (Accessed: 29 October 2026).
Health Service Executive (HSE) (n.d.-b) How to apply for Fair Deal. Read the source (Accessed: 29 October 2026).
General information for Irish property matters. Legal, tax and funding decisions require advice on the particular circumstances. How these guides are prepared.
Explore the detail
A property valuation for a Fair Deal application
Before the inspection: preparing a useful valuation instruction
Reading a valuation report beyond the final figure
When you are ready
A clear brief.
A useful conversation.
Tell me the property’s location and what you need to decide. We can establish the appropriate next step.