Register an Irish Company with StartCompany.ieStartCompany.ie makes it fast and simple to incorporate. Formation, registered address and CRO filing — all handled for you.CRO fees included.

From €240

New-home developer check

How to check an Irish property developer before paying a booking deposit

A development brand, builder, landowner, project company and selling agent may all be different entities. Before paying a booking deposit, map each role and have your solicitor confirm the transaction and payment route.

Irish new-home development plan connected to developer, project company, selling agent and booking deposit checks

Quick answer

Map every party before the transfer

  • 01Identify the developer, project company, builder, landowner and licensed selling agent separately.
  • 02Search every material Irish company by registration number and review its history.
  • 03Have your solicitor examine the booking terms, title, contract and proposed payee.
  • 04Confirm changed payment details independently and keep a complete transaction record.

Step-by-step

A reliable review checklist

  1. 1

    List the project parties

    Ask who develops, owns, builds, markets and receives the booking deposit. Record each legal name and role.

  2. 2

    Verify the selling agent

    Check the relevant PSRA licence and use independently sourced contact details for the agency handling the sale.

  3. 3

    Search the companies

    Review the developer and project entities by company number, including status, age, directors and filings where available.

  4. 4

    Involve your solicitor

    Do not treat a company search as title or contract review. Let your solicitor examine the legal documents and payment mechanics.

  5. 5

    Confirm the payee

    Verify the beneficiary and any bank-detail change outside the email requesting payment before sending a booking deposit.

  6. 6

    Retain the evidence

    Keep brochures, booking form, report, licence check, solicitor correspondence, receipt and payment confirmation together.

The development name is not the legal counterparty

Large and small developments often involve several entities. The public-facing brand may not own the land or sign the building contract, and a special-purpose company may have been incorporated for one project. That structure is not inherently problematic, but you need to know which entity performs each obligation.

Request a written party map and use registration numbers to prevent name confusion. Search the project company as well as the better-known group company instead of assuming the brand stands behind every promise.

  • Developer and project company
  • Landowner and builder
  • Selling agent and PSRA licence
  • Deposit holder and bank beneficiary

Use the report to ask better project questions

The company profile establishes identity and status; the full report adds available directors and filing history. Review incorporation dates, address changes and people connected to the relevant entities, then compare them with the booking documents.

A newly incorporated project vehicle may be expected, but it provides limited standalone history. Ask your solicitor which entity gives contractual promises, whether any parent support exists and how the deposit is held. Do not infer a guarantee from branding or common directors.

Treat payment verification as a separate control

Property transactions attract payment-redirection fraud because the amounts are large and the process involves many emails. Confirm the beneficiary through a known agency or solicitor contact using a trusted telephone number, especially after any last-minute change.

The PSRA regulates property service providers such as estate agents, but a licence check does not replace company, title or contract review. Each control addresses a different risk and all should point to the same transaction.

  • Never confirm bank changes only by replying to the email.
  • Ask for written booking and refund terms.
  • Understand who holds the deposit.
  • Obtain a dated receipt naming the legal recipient.

What the company report can contribute

The €11.99 report is a low-cost corporate evidence layer when the booking deposit and future purchase are substantial. It creates a dated record of the entities and history you considered before payment.

It cannot confirm title, planning, building quality, completion, deposit protection or contractual rights. Those matters belong with your solicitor and appropriate technical advisers. Use the report to identify parties and questions, not to replace conveyancing due diligence.

Make the decision with evidence

Check the company before you pay the property booking deposit

Find the exact Irish company, review its free profile, then order the full report when you need directors, filing history and deeper company evidence in one document.

Full company report: €11.99 total

Find company and order report

Questions answered

Frequently asked questions

Is the development brand always the company selling the home?

No. Ask for the legal names and roles of the developer, project company, landowner, builder, agent and deposit recipient.

Can a company report confirm property title?

No. Title and contract review must be handled through your solicitor and the appropriate property records.

How do I check the estate agent?

Use the PSRA registers and contact the agency through independently sourced details.

Why check a project company if it is new?

The check confirms identity and helps you understand the structure, even when limited history means stronger contractual questions are needed.

What should I do if deposit bank details change?

Stop and confirm the change through a known solicitor or agency contact using a trusted number before transferring funds.