Umwelt-Bonus
Mortgage interest reductions and help with energy-certificate costs for owners renovating residential buildings or financing a qualifying new home.
Questa opportunità è attualmente disponibile in inglese.
Umwelt-Bonus reduces the interest on an Obwaldner Kantonalbank fixed-rate or SARON mortgage by up to 0.30 percentage points. An interest floor limits the discount. The bank lends money for your property; you pay interest and repay the borrowing under your mortgage agreement. For renovations, it refunds 50% of the GEAK Plus report cost; for new buildings or purchases, it refunds 50% of certificate costs.
The minimum mortgage is CHF 50,000 for renovation and CHF 100,000 for a new building or purchase. The bonus can cover the entire financing amount. Fixed-rate terms run from 2 to 10 years; SARON terms from 2 to 5 years. Interest is paid quarterly. Fixed rates are individually quoted according to the property valuation and loan-to-value ratio, your creditworthiness, property quality and loan size.
A fixed-rate mortgage keeps the same rate throughout its term. SARON borrowing has a variable rate based on the compounded average of daily Swiss overnight rates over the interest period, plus a margin fixed for the term. Your interest payment is known only at the end of the period. If the base rate is negative, you still pay the margin.
Repayment instalments depend on the contract. For an owner-occupied home, repayment can also be arranged indirectly through the bank’s Sparen 3 pension account: contributions to that account become binding. You cannot cancel either mortgage during its agreed term. A SARON borrower may switch to another bank product at the next interest-adjustment date for CHF 250, provided the new product lasts at least the remaining contract term. Partial conversion must respect minimum loan amounts; this option is generally available within the first mortgage.
Ordinary mortgage opening and renewal are free, but fixed-rate and SARON loans below CHF 100,000 (at least CHF 50,000) cost CHF 250 at opening and renewal. Early termination of a fixed-term loan carries an early-repayment compensation charge and at least CHF 500 in handling fees. Refinancing through another bank costs CHF 250 per property, and third-party fees are passed on.
Eligibility
- Eligible properties are condominiums, single- and two-family houses, apartment buildings and mixed residential/commercial buildings with a majority residential share. Agricultural property is excluded. You must have an e-banking agreement.
- For renovation, supply a GEAK Plus building-energy certificate with an advisory report no more than 12 months old. Carry out a renovation that improves the building envelope—the parts separating indoor and outdoor space—by at least two GEAK energy-efficiency classes.
- For a new building or purchase, the property must be no more than three years old. The routes covered here require either a GEAK certificate rating the building envelope A or B, or a Minergie certificate as proof of sustainable construction. The proof must also be no more than three years old.
- The bonus cannot be combined with other special products. Unless otherwise agreed, the selected fixed-rate or SARON mortgage’s underlying terms apply.
How to apply
- Stato
- Aperto continuamente
- Restrizioni del bando
- Contact the bank to arrange a mortgage consultation.
Contact Obwaldner Kantonalbank on 041 666 22 11 or info@okb.ch to request the consultation offered on its Umwelt-Bonus page. The bank calculates your individual mortgage rate and assesses the qualifying property and energy proof. Applications are handled through this consultation route on an ongoing basis.