Home Mortgage National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG)

National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG)

When you take out a mortgage with National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG), you have a safety net if circumstances prevent you from paying your mortgage. This way, as a homeowner, you run less risk and also benefit from interest rate discounts.

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What is National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG)?

The National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) is a safety net for homebuyers in the Netherlands that provides additional financial security when taking out a mortgage. The scheme is administered by the Home Ownership Guarantee Fund Foundation (WEW) and is designed to protect both homeowners and mortgage lenders from financial risk.

When you take out a mortgage with NHG, you benefit from a lower mortgage interest rate because the lender runs less risk. In addition, NHG offers protection in unforeseen circumstances, such as unemployment, divorce or disability. If you are forced to sell your home and a residual debt remains, then under certain conditions NHG can waive this debt.

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What is the NHG limit in 2025?

You cannot claim the National Mortgage Guarantee with every mortgage. To qualify for NHG, your mortgage must meet a maximum limit.

In 2025, the NHG limit is €450,000. This means that the purchase price of the home cannot exceed €450,000. Do you install energy-saving measures? Then the NHG limit is higher, at €477,000.

NHG conditions

To qualify for the NHG, you must meet a number of conditions:

The home you want to buy may cost a maximum of €450,000 in 2025.
If you install energy-saving measures, you may borrow up to 6% of the home value extra for this up to the maximum limit of €477,000.
The home must be your primary residence. NHG does not apply to second homes or investment properties.
You pay a one-time bailment fee. In 2024 this was 0.7% of the total mortgage amount, but in 2025 it drops to 0.4%. This amount is often co-financed into your mortgage. Moreover, you are allowed a one-time income tax deduction, as is the interest you pay on this amount.

Additional points of interest

When refinancing an existing mortgage, you can also use NHG, provided the loan meets the conditions.
NHG cannot be applied to exceptional financing structures, such as a completely repayment-free mortgage.

Cost NHG

When taking out a mortgage with NHG, you pay a one-time bail commission. In 2025, this is 0.4% of the total mortgage amount.

For a €300,000 mortgage, this amounts to a sum of €1,200. This amount can usually be co-financed in the mortgage, but it remains an additional expense when purchasing a home.

The advantage is that this bail commission is tax deductible from income tax once. You must also take into account the maximum mortgage limit and any additional conditions if you want to take advantage of the higher limit for energy-saving measures.

Advantages NHG

NHG offers several benefits:

Lower mortgage rates

Because the lender has less risk, you often get a lower interest rate.

Protection for financial hardship

In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as unemployment, divorce or disability, you can claim support.

Remainder debt forgiveness

If you are forced to sell your home and a residual debt remains, NHG can forgive it under certain conditions.

Borrowing more for sustainability

You can borrow extra for energy-saving measures, making your home more future-proof.

Tax benefit

The bail commission is deductible from income tax once.

Disadvantages NHG

Although NHG offers many advantages, there are also some disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that when you take out a mortgage with NHG, you have to pay a one-time bailment fee, which in 2025 amounts to 0.4% of the mortgage amount. This can feel like a direct cost.

In addition, the NHG applies only to mortgages below the NHG limit, which can be restrictive in areas with high house prices. There are also strict conditions you must meet, such as the mandatory use of the home as your primary residence and the need to justify energy-saving measures in advance.

In addition, NHG is not available for certain types of mortgages, such as fully repayable mortgages or other exceptional financing structures.

Co-financing energy saving measures NHG

Are you planning to implement energy-saving measures in your home? Then you can borrow 6% more. In 2025, the maximum NHG limit is €477,000. You can immediately co-finance this budget when you take out a mortgage with NHG. You can decide later exactly which measures you want to take.

Energy-saving features include:

Roof insulation, pipe insulation, cavity wall insulation and floor insulation
A heat pump
A high-efficiency boiler
Solar panels
HR++ or Triple glass
Energy-efficient window frames and/or doors and similar structural components in combination with high-efficiency glazing.
A vapor recovery system
Energy-efficient ventilation combined with other energy-saving measures

Frequently asked questions about National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG)

Can I get NHG when switching my mortgage to another lender?

Yes, it is possible to get NHG when refinancing your mortgage, provided that the new mortgage meets all NHG conditions. Among other things, this means that the new loan may not exceed the current home value (including any costs for energy-saving measures) and that the loan meets the NHG limit for that year.

What happens if I have to sell my home while the home value has dropped?

If you are forced to sell your home (for example, due to unemployment, divorce or disability) and a residual debt remains, you can appeal to NHG under certain conditions. If the situation meets the NHG guidelines, the residual debt may be forgiven, so you are not left with a financial burden.

How does a mortgage with NHG affect my monthly expenses?

A mortgage with NHG can lower your monthly expenses because you often pay a lower mortgage interest rate. This is because lenders take less risk with a mortgage with NHG. In addition, you can deduct the one-time bail commission for tax purposes, which provides an additional benefit in the first year.