Less mortgage with NHG if the foundation is poor
Poor foundation? From 2027 you’ll be able to borrow less with NHG
You’ve finally found the one. A 1930s house, stained glass above the front door, a south-facing garden. You run the numbers one more time and it fits perfectly. But from next year, something entirely different may decide how much you can borrow: what’s underneath that house.
Today, NU.nl reported that from 2027, banks will have to take foundation problems into account when they grant a mortgage with the National Mortgage Guarantee (Nationale Hypotheek Garantie, NHG). For buyers in Groningen, where many homes are built on vulnerable soil, that’s no minor detail. In this blog we explain what’s changing, why it’s happening, and what it means for you as a buyer (and seller).
What changes for NHG in 2027?
From 1 January 2027, lenders must assess the foundation risk of the property for every NHG mortgage using a fixed method. This applies when you buy an existing home, but also when you increase or refinance your mortgage.
In short, it works like this:
- Risk class A, B or C: no additional foundation survey needed because of that class.
- Risk class D or E: an additional survey may be needed to establish the actual risk.
- Is the risk genuinely high? Then the bank must include the expected repair costs when determining your maximum mortgage. The result: you can borrow less for the house itself.
The thinking behind it actually makes sense. NHG wants to prevent you from putting all your financial room into the purchase, only to be hit a few years later with a bill of tens of thousands of euros for foundation repairs that you can’t pay. At the same time, the NHG limit rises to €500,000 in 2027, so more buyers will be affected by these rules. NHG will publish the final conditions and standards for 2027 on 1 November 2026, so details may still be tightened.
Why now? The numbers don’t lie.
This spring, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) estimated that some 220,000 homes belonging to around 120,000 owners are at high risk of foundation problems. Most of those owners would not be able to pay the repair costs straight away. And these are not small amounts.
In our blog Foundation research mandatory we already did the maths: foundation repair costs around €92,000 on average. For a terraced house you’re quickly looking at €60,000 to €90,000; for a detached house it can run to well over €150,000. Not amounts you simply take out of your savings account.
The follow-up to 1 April 2026
This isn’t entirely new. Since 1 April 2026, the foundation has been a mandatory part of every valuation report, with a risk class from A to E based on data from the KCAF (the Dutch Knowledge Centre for Foundation Problems). You can read exactly what that involves in our (Dutch) blog about the foundation section in the valuation report.
Until now, that score was mainly informative. The bank looked at it, but NHG left the assessment to the lender. From 2027, the score gets financial teeth: it can directly affect how much you borrow. In addition, since 1 October 2026, indicative repair costs have been included in the appendix to the foundation risk report for homes in class D or E. So you can see where you stand earlier and earlier in the process.
Why this matters even more in Groningen
When it comes to foundations, Groningen is not an average region. In Foundation problems in Groningen we described the factors that come together here:
- many pre-war homes, often on shallow foundations or wooden piles;
- peat and clay soils that subside, in some places by around 5 mm a year;
- vibrations and damage caused by years of gas extraction;
- swelling clay, which expands and shrinks with alternating drought and rain.
That doesn’t mean every house in Groningen has a problem. Many homes simply fall into class A or B. But the chance of coming across a C, D or E with an older home is higher here than in many other parts of the country.
What does this mean for you as a buyer?
Honestly: above all, that you need to know what you’re buying sooner. A D or E score is no reason to rule out a house straight away, but it is a reason to think carefully about your offer, your conditions and your financing.
A few practical tips:
- Ask for the foundation score before you make an offer. Even if the seller doesn’t bring it up.
- With a C, D or E, include a foundation condition. That gives you time for a QuickScan and lets you withdraw without a penalty if the results are disappointing.
- Include a generous financing condition. If repair costs are taken into account, your borrowing capacity may turn out lower than your mortgage adviser first calculated.
- Factor the foundation into your offer. A home with a high foundation risk is simply not worth the same as a comparable house without that risk.
- Watch the timing. For NHG, the date of the binding mortgage offer is what counts. An offer issued in 2026 still falls under the current rules.
This is exactly the moment when a buyer’s agent makes the difference. We don’t just look at the asking price and the atmosphere, but also at the foundation class, the construction years in the street, and what that means for your room to negotiate. And we make sure the right conditions are in the purchase agreement, so you’re not left with the bill.
And if you’re selling?
Things change for sellers too. Buyers with NHG can borrow less if the foundation score is high, and you’ll notice that in the offers. So know your score before you put your home on the market. With class D or E, it’s smart to have a QuickScan done in advance, so you can give buyers clarity instead of questions. And don’t forget your duty of disclosure: whatever you know about the foundation, you must report. You can read more about this in this blog and on our selling agent page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still buy a house with foundation problems with NHG?
Yes. The new rules don’t prohibit it. They do ensure that the expected repair costs count towards how much you can borrow, if a survey shows the risk is high.
Does this also apply to mortgages without NHG?
The new assessment is an NHG rule. For mortgages without NHG, banks already look at the foundation section in the valuation report, but apply their own policies.
Where can I find a home’s foundation score?
The risk class is stated in the valuation report. If you want to know earlier, ask the selling agent or have your buyer’s agent look into it before you make an offer.
Finally
For a long time, foundation risk was something you only thought about once cracks appeared in the walls. From 2027, it’s already part of your mortgage calculation. That may feel like an extra hurdle, but it also protects you from a purchase that could cost you dearly later on.
Unsure about a property, or want to know how the foundation affects your offer and financing?
Our buyer’s agent in Groningen is happy to help. Call 050-2041292 or fill in the form on our contact page. The coffee’s ready.
