Sustainability loan for owner-occupants

Do you own your owner-occupied home and want to make it more sustainable? Then you can sometimes take out a loan to make your home more energy efficient. Do you occupy your own home with a WOZ value below € 305.000,-? And can't get a loan from your own bank and have you been turned down at the National Heat Fund? Then you may qualify for one of the municipality's Energy Justice Loans.
The municipality tests whether you meet the Requirements for participation. If you do, you will receive an allocation decision. With this you can apply to the foundation Stimuleringsfonds Volkshuisvesting Nederlandse gemeenten (SVn). Not the municipality but SVn decides whether you get a loan.

Approach

Do you have questions or want to get the application form for the test? Please email procesondersteuners@heerlen.nl or call 045-5605040.

Cost

Review by the municipality is free of charge. 

Description

What can you use the loan for?

The loan is to make your home more sustainable. For example, by:

  • insulating the house
  • installation of solar panels
  • purchase of a heat pump
  • connecting to the heat grid
  • and/or by having preparatory work done to install the sustainability measures. Such as:
    • relocation of the gutter
    • asbestos remediation 
    • new frames

You can use the loan for one or more measures or large-scale natural gas-free renovations up to label A.

The Municipality of Heerlen has 4 types of loans 

  1. A personal loan of a minimum of €2,500 to a maximum of €10,000. You must repay the loan in 15 years.
  2. A mortgage loan of a minimum of €10,001 to a maximum of €50,000. You must repay the loan in 30 years.
  3. A redemption loan of a minimum of €10,001 to a maximum of €50,000, especially for older homeowners. The home's excess value is then the guarantee for the loan.
  4. A customized loan of minimum € 2,500 to maximum € 50,000, especially for low-income homeowners who currently have nowhere else to turn. This loan is only possible with an integral area-based approach (block, street or neighborhood). Per period we see if and how much you can repay.

Redemption

Would you like to continue living comfortably and energy-efficiently? Then you can adapt your home to your wishes with the Verzilverlening. This loan makes it possible for homeowners aged 57 and older with a house with a value under the Valuation of Immovable Property Act (WOZ) of less than € 305,000 to improve their home and make it more sustainable. You pay from the surplus value of your home and without additional monthly costs.

The redemption loan is actually a reverse mortgage. Many older people have (partially) paid off the mortgage for their home. Thus, excess value has been built up. You can use this surplus value to modify your home. The loan (existing mortgage plus renunciation) can be up to 80% of the WOZ value of the home.

For the Redemption Loan, you pay no monthly interest and principal. In fact, the interest is added to the outstanding debt each year. You repay the loan at the end of the term, when you sell your home or when the surviving debtor dies. The loan is taken out as a mortgage loan and is an addition to your existing mortgage. You apply for the loan at SVn. SVn assesses the application, sends you an offer and ensures that the money becomes available in a construction depot.

Customized loan

Is there a collective approach to your residential block, street or neighborhood, but you cannot afford it or do not qualify for a loan ? Then the municipality of Heerlen offers the opportunity to participate in making your home comfortable and energy efficient via a custom loan from the municipality. It must be your own home that you live in yourself, with a maximum WOZ-value of € 305.000,--.

The Custom Loan always consists of two parts. A part that you repay on an annuity basis and a part that accrues as long as you cannot pay the charges. We call this part a Combination Loan. The first 3 years you have no monthly charges. You 'pay' the repayment of your SVn Maatwerklening for the first 3 years with the Combination Loan. Therefore, the Combination Loan always increases in the first 3 years. After this three-year period, you pay interest and repayment. If you think your household income is insufficient, you can request a retest. If your income is indeed insufficient at that time, you will pay a monthly charge that does match your household income. After the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 15th year of the term, you can request a reassessment and we will reassess your ability to pay. The moment you pay the full interest and/or repayment, you repay both loans.

The loan is taken out as a mortgage loan and is an addition to your existing mortgage. You apply for the loan at SVn. SVn assesses the application, sends you an offer and ensures that the money is deposited in a construction depot.

Requirements

What does the municipality test?

  • The home must be in Heerlen, owned by you and you must live in it yourself.
  • The WOZ value of your home is up to €305,000.
  • You applied to the National Heat Fund. You are not eligible. The fund has sent you a rejection letter.

What does SVn test?

  • Your financial situation.

Learn more

more information on sustainability loansSVn