According to a recent survey by the AFM Dutch financial services authority, one in seven people have worries about whether they can pay their mortgage because of the corona crisis. Meanwhile, mortgage providers such as Woonfonds have reported that a lot of clients are phoning them with questions about these concerns.
So, Expat Mortgages has joined an initiative to give advice and practical help to anyone who wants to investigate whether there is something they can do to reduce or postpone monthly payments to help them get through these difficult months. Help with your Mortgage is a charitable initiative uniting a team of experts behind a free-of-charge telephone helpline: 088-1661455.
It was started by Sander de Loo from the Zorgeloosch foundation to help people in need with financial issues related to their mortgage in these uncertain times, and Expat Mortgages was keen to help.
Henk Jansen, the owner of Expat Mortgages, explains that this is a wholly social initiative for people who are not clients. “A lot of people don’t have a broker or don’t get help offered from the bank to reduce their monthly mortgage payments,” he said. “Together with Zorgeloosch, Viisi and A&H Finance, we’ve decided to start helping these people in times of (corona) crisis.”
It can be very simple to reduce monthly payments on an existing mortgage, particularly if the house value has gone up or you have been making repayments for a few years - and these can often be organised through your current bank or broker, he points out.
“Most people have already heard of the three (or maybe six) month payment pause banks are offering because of corona but this is only a temporary measure (and you still need to repay the amount in the upcoming one and a half years),” he says. “But other structural options are also available.”
Over the past years, the value of your property has probably gone up and your amount of mortgage reduced (because of repayment). This might make you eligible for a lower LTV band and a lower interest rate for the same mortgage.
Many people have a relatively high-interest rate with a short remaining fixed period. Some banks offer interest mediation to lower this rate.
Sometimes it’s smart to check if remortgaging is an option. This means paying a penalty and some other costs and remortgaging using the low rates on offer right now.
It might be to your advantage to switch from, for example, a savings or life insurance type of mortgage to an annuity mortgage.
Collect relevant information about your mortgage, such as the amount you still owe, remaining term, interest rate and mortgage type. Then simply call 088 1661 455. Expat Mortgages and other experts will review your financial situation with you - speaking in English or in Dutch - to come up with tips and a simple plan.
These personal tips will be emailed to you within 10 minutes. You can then take immediate action to lower your monthly payments!