Poor foundations make mortgages harder
Lenders are taking a more critical look at homes with a high foundation risk.
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Buyers of homes with poor or uncertain foundations may find it harder to obtain a mortgage. Since April, valuers have been required to include foundation risk in their reports, meaning repair costs are taken into account more directly when financing is assessed.
For homes in a high risk category for foundation problems, lenders may impose additional requirements. They assess not only the borrower’s income and the home’s market value, but also whether there is sufficient financial room for possible foundation repairs.
The new approach has applied since 1 April 2026. Valuation reports include an indication using a class from A to E. Classes D and E may require further investigation. The indication does not automatically mean that a home has suffered damage; it provides an estimate of the risk.
If an investigation shows that repairs are probably needed, the estimated costs may be taken into account when assessing the maximum mortgage. As a result, an application may be for a lower amount or may be rejected if the income and property value do not provide sufficient room.
The consequences for a home depend on the estimated foundation risk and the possible repair costs. According to the Nationale Aanpak Funderingen, up to hundreds of thousands of buildings could face foundation problems in the coming years. That estimate concerns a long-term development and not the number of homes that are currently directly unsafe.
At the same time, the government has announced a fund and a broader approach for owners who cannot pay for repairs themselves. For buyers, the new information requirement mainly means that foundation risks must become visible earlier in the purchase process. A risk label is not an individual structural survey.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Foundation risk has been included in valuations since April.
- A high risk can affect the mortgage assessment.
- The government is working on support for owners with foundation damage.
Left
Arguments The costs of foundation problems are caused not only by individual owners’ choices, but also by subsidence and spatial conditions. The government should therefore provide financial support.
Values Housing security, solidarity and protection for households with limited assets.
Consequences Public support may help prevent forced sales, but could leave taxpayers and the housing market bearing the risks.
Centre
Arguments Risks should be included early and transparently, while targeted loans and support are needed in cases where market financing falls short.
Values Careful information, affordability and shared responsibility.
Consequences This may limit surprises for buyers, but makes transactions more complex and some homes harder to sell.
Right
Arguments The owner is primarily responsible for maintenance and should carry out their own investigation before buying. The mortgage market should price risks fairly.
Values Personal responsibility, market forces and protection of financial institutions.
Consequences Stricter credit assessments may help prevent new debts, but could exclude lower-income households from homes with repair potential.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The introduction of the foundation indication and its consequences for mortgage assessments have been confirmed by Vereniging Eigen Huis and NVM. The text makes clear that risk assessments are not individual structural surveys.
- confirmed Since 1 April 2026, foundation risk has been included in valuation reports. — This is stated by NVM and Vereniging Eigen Huis. source
- confirmed For high-risk classes, repair costs may be taken into account in the mortgage assessment. — Vereniging Eigen Huis explicitly describes this consequence. source
- confirmed In the long term, the government expects that possibly hundreds of thousands of buildings will face foundation problems. — The Nationale Aanpak Funderingen cites estimates of 425,000 to 780,000 buildings. source
Editor's note
The consequences vary by property, valuation and lender. A foundation risk class is not a structural determination that damage exists.Sources
- Welke rol speelt de staat van de fundering bij een hypotheekaanvraag? — Vereniging Eigen Huis
- Funderingen — NVM
- Steun voor eigenaren bij funderingsschade — Rijksoverheid
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „hypotheek fundering”
- Het Parool — „hypotheek fundering”
- de Volkskrant — „hypotheek fundering”