Many seniors are looking for a suitable home because they find their family home too large and prefer a more manageable home. They often want to refurbish the new home a bit so they can live comfortably, for example with a new bathroom or a new kitchen. If the current home has not yet been sold, they need a temporary loan to finance it. Because banks often refuse this temporary loan, the move often does not happen. If the move does go through, a family can move from their starter home to the vacated family home, and a starter can move into the starter home the family has outgrown. This way, a move makes it possible for more households to find a suitable home. Seniors often have their mortgage completely or almost completely paid off and a lot of equity in their home, making the risk of the loan not being repaid small.
According to Inge van Dijk, a solution cannot be difficult.
This is a problem where there is no problem. We have a lot of equity, we know someone can easily repay it, you run little risk. Why cant we solve this in a simple way?
Inge van Dijk
Inge therefore asks the cabinet to agree with banks, senior organizations, and regulators on minimum conditions for temporary loans for seniors. If the cabinet does not reach an agreement, Inge will make a proposal herself. With this, Inge wants to arrange that part of the equity can be released for a bridging loan so that the new home can be renovated, for example with a new bathroom or kitchen.
Read the questions from Inge and Eline here
Questions from members Inge van Dijk (CDA) and Eline Vedder (CDA) to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning about the Radar broadcast of March 31, 2025, specifically the topic «Seniors refused temporary loan despite equity».
Question 1
Are you aware of the Radar broadcast of March 31 on the topic «Seniors refused temporary loan despite equity». 1) Can you respond to the content of this broadcast?
Question 2
Do you share the concerns about the impossibilities for seniors to take out a bridging mortgage?
Question 3
Do you agree that it is undesirable for seniors with equity in their current home to be unable to obtain a bridging mortgage?
Question 4
How do you reflect on the fact that parents, due to current obstacles in obtaining a bridging mortgage, often postpone or cancel the move?
Question 5
Do you agree that the fact that seniors cannot obtain a bridging mortgage has a dampening effect on the flow in the already overheated housing market? If not, why not? In what way does this effect hinder the approach to the housing shortage?
Question 6
Do you agree that lenders also have a role and therefore responsibility to combat the housing shortage and contribute to finding a suitable home?
Question 7
How are you going to work to simplify (bridging) mortgage applications for seniors and increase the success rate and increase awareness of this simplification among the general public, considering the role and position of mortgage lenders and your own responsibility in the field of housing?
Question 8
Are you willing to talk to senior organizations, the NVB, banks, and regulators about improving financing options for seniors to take out a bridging mortgage?
1) Radar, AvroTros – March 31, 2025: Seniors refused temporary loan despite equity | Radar - the consumer program of AVROTROS