A residual debt (restschuld) arises when the sale proceeds are lower than the outstanding mortgage. If you sell for €150,000 with a mortgage of €200,000, €50,000 remains.
Without NHG (the Dutch National Mortgage Guarantee), that debt is simply yours and the bank will keep collecting it. With NHG, the residual debt can be written off, but this is not automatic. NHG tests two things: was the cause beyond your control, and did you cooperate fully to get the highest possible proceeds?
This is the most important sentence on this page: you may be eligible for a write-off if you meet the conditions. It is not a right you can claim. NHG carries out an assessment, and the outcome may be negative.
There are two conditions, and both apply at the same time.
| Condition | What NHG tests |
|---|---|
| In good faith | Were you unable to repay the loan for a reason beyond your control? |
| Full cooperation | Did you do everything you could to get the highest possible proceeds? |
If your relationship ends or your income falls, the lender carries out an affordability test to determine whether you can still carry the loan. The outcome of that test partly determines whether you are eligible.
You must prove the cause. In the case of unemployment, for example, with the letter awarding your benefit. If the cause is a drop in your partner's income, you must show that this drop led to the sale.
That last point is underestimated. NHG looks at your assets. If you have savings, NHG expects you to use them.
Look again at that second condition: full cooperation to achieve the highest possible proceeds.
In its own example, NHG describes what that looks like: you put the home up for sale with an estate agent, you discuss with that agent how to sell the home for the highest possible amount, you make sure the home is tidy and clean, and you sell privately through the estate agent.
A poor sale can cost you the write-off. Anyone who panics and calls in the first cash buyer who wants to settle within a week is not only selling too cheaply. They are also putting their entire safety net at risk, because NHG may decide that there was not full cooperation in achieving the maximum proceeds.
That makes your choice of estate agent anything but a side issue. It is part of the assessment.
Even if the debt is written off, you will receive a BKR registration (with the Dutch credit registry). As a result, it will be difficult to get a new mortgage or loan for five years. A write-off resolves your debt, not your record.
And mortgage interest relief: only if the residual debt arose before 1 January 2018 may you still be entitled to mortgage interest relief.
If you disagree with the decision, you can ask NHG to reconsider. Do so as soon as possible, preferably within five weeks of the date of the decision. You may write the justification yourself.
If your debt is not written off, the residual debt can sometimes be included in a new mortgage with NHG. The lender decides on this. In 2026, the cost of the new home including the residual debt may not exceed €470,000, or €498,200 with energy-saving improvements. This limit changes every year; check with NHG for the current amounts.
No. A write-off is possible if you meet the conditions. NHG assesses whether the cause was beyond your control and whether you cooperated fully to achieve the highest possible proceeds.
Involuntary unemployment, incapacity for work, the end of a relationship and the death of your partner. You must be able to prove the cause.
No. If you sell because the home no longer suits your wishes, there is no write-off, even if a residual debt arises.
Yes. NHG looks at whether you had enough income, savings or other assets to repay the debt in full or in part.
Yes. NHG tests whether you did everything you could to maximise the proceeds. Selling quickly and below value can count against you.
Yes. Even if the debt is written off. As a result, it is harder to get a loan or mortgage for five years.
You can ask NHG in writing to reconsider. Preferably do so within five weeks of the date of the decision.
Sometimes. The lender decides. The residual debt must be repaid in full on an annuity basis, and the total must stay within the NHG limit.
We are the estate agent of Helmond and we do things just a little differently. We take a look with you, run the numbers and tell you honestly what we would do. Even if that means you should hold off for now.
Your language. We speak English, German and French. Write to us in Polish by WhatsApp and we reply in Polish.
No surprises in the contract. The purchase agreement is in Dutch and comes with an English translation, so you understand every clause.
Selling from abroad. We guide the whole sale remotely and arrange the paperwork with the notary.
