Household sustainability loan
Owner-occupiers in Haarlem can borrow for cavity-wall insulation in an existing home, with a fixed interest rate and monthly repayments.
Tato příležitost je nyní dostupná v angličtině.
You can borrow for cavity-wall insulation: filling the space between the inner and outer walls with an approved insulating material. The material must appear on the ISDE insulation-material list. Normally you must insulate at least 10 m² and the new material must have an Rd value of at least 1.1 m²K/W, a measure of its resistance to heat loss. The municipality allows an exception if you demonstrate that the measures achieve the maximum feasible specifications for you.
For loans from €2,500 to less than €7,500, the repayment term is 10 years. You cannot borrow more than the accepted actual costs, including VAT, or the quoted costs. The wider municipal scheme permits loans up to €25,000; your total outstanding SVn loan balance must also stay within €25,000, even if you make several applications.
SVn’s published indicative interest rate is 1.70% for this term. The rate is set when SVn receives your application and remains fixed throughout the loan. Each regular monthly payment includes interest and repayment of the amount borrowed, so the loan is fully repaid at the end of its term. There is no mortgage security and no loan closing fee; any financial adviser you use is at your own cost.
SVn places the money in a building-work account and pays approved invoices directly to contractors. If you paid an invoice yourself, you can seek reimbursement with proof of payment. You must pay any invoice shortfall yourself and cannot add your own money to this account. The account normally runs for 12 months, with one extension on request of up to 12 more months; it closes when the money is used, the work is finished or 24 months have passed. SVn may close it after six months without transactions. Any balance at closure reduces your loan. For up to 12 months, the account earns the credit interest stated in your loan documents, which is offset against your periodic payment. Banking costs for special payments may be charged to you.
Extra repayments are free, with a minimum of €250 each time. SVn adjusts your periodic payment after a partial repayment; if it falls below €35, SVn may shorten the term. You still owe the loan if the installer fails to meet its commitments.
Eligibility
- You must be a private owner-occupier of an existing dwelling in Haarlem that is suitable and intended for permanent occupation, and be aged 18–75 when applying. Joint owners apply together.
- The work must not already have been carried out. The municipality assesses whether it contributes to lower energy demand or CO₂ emissions, more renewable energy in the home, or use of biobased or circular materials. It can refuse costs it considers disproportionate to the result.
- Municipal approval reserves budget, but SVn separately checks affordability, including income, household circumstances and credit registration. Approval by the municipality does not guarantee a loan. Loans depend on sufficient municipal budget; applications are processed in receipt order.
- Each joint borrower is liable for the whole debt. Late payments attract statutory interest and may incur administration or collection costs. The whole debt can become immediately payable after at least two months of arrears if you remain in default after notice; when you leave or are expected shortly to leave your permanent residence in the Netherlands; on bankruptcy or personal debt restructuring; after death if SVn has grounds to expect obligations will not be met; or if deliberately false application information would have changed the lending decision.
How to apply
- Stav
- Průběžně otevřené
- Podmínky daného kola žádostí
- Subject to available municipal budget; obtain municipal allocation before applying to SVn.[^c1][^c6][^c9]
First request an allocation letter through Haarlem’s online DigiD application. Include a description of the measures, quotes no more than three months old with separately specified costs and applicable ISDE codes, and a work schedule. The municipality decides within eight weeks of receiving a complete application. If it requests missing information, you have four weeks to supply it or the application will not be processed.
Apply to SVn within eight weeks of receiving the allocation letter, using its local Haarlem loan page. Complete the application and upload the documents requested in MijnSVn. SVn checks your BKR credit record and affordability. After approval, monthly interest and repayments start; submit invoices for municipal approval and payment from the building-work account.