You want to buy a home together. You have built up savings or are bringing equity from a previous property. Your partner is contributing less of their own money. That can work perfectly well, as long as you agree what it means from the start. When you eventually sell, do you get your extra contribution back? And who gets the profit?
Buying a house together with unequal contributions is entirely possible. The key is to agree how you will handle your own money, the mortgage and the proceeds if you sell. That gives you clarity, even if your plans change later. This article explains the main choices when buying a home in the Netherlands.
Can you own equal shares if one partner contributes more?
Yes. Suppose you contribute €80,000 and your partner contributes nothing. You can still each buy half of the property. The civil-law notary records who owns which share. A different split, such as 60% and 40%, is also possible.
You also need to agree how to handle the money. There are three important questions:
Who owns the home?
Will you each own half, or choose a different ownership split?
Who pays what?
How will you divide responsibility for the mortgage debt and monthly payments?
What do you get back?
How will you account for your own contributions if you sell or separate?
These arrangements belong together. Simply recording how much each person contributed is not enough. You also want to know how you will settle up later.
What can you agree about unequal contributions?
What feels fair differs from one couple to another. You may mainly want to protect your savings. Or you may feel that the money you put in should share in any increase in the property value. Here are two options to discuss.
You receive an agreed fixed amount
You could agree that your €80,000 contribution is accounted for first. You then split whatever remains equally. If the property increases in value, you each receive half of that increase in this example.
The right to receive money back is called a right to reimbursement, or vergoedingsrecht in Dutch. Your notary can document how this works for you. Also agree what happens if there is not enough money left after the sale.
Your reimbursement rises or falls with the property value
You can instead agree that the reimbursement for your contribution follows the value of the home. If the home becomes worth 25% more, the reimbursement for your contribution also increases by 25% under that arrangement. If the value falls, your reimbursement can fall too.
Have the calculation recorded clearly. “We will divide it fairly later” sounds reassuring, but you may each have a different idea of what that means.
Example: how do you divide the equity?
Noor and Sam buy a home for €400,000. Noor contributes €80,000 and Sam contributes nothing. They take out a joint mortgage of €320,000 and each own half of the property.
A few years later, they sell for €500,000. After repaying the mortgage, €180,000 remains. How much does each person receive?
To keep this example simple, we leave out purchase costs, selling costs, renovations and mortgage repayments made before the sale. Noor and Sam are each responsible for half of the mortgage debt between themselves.
| Their agreement | Noor receives | Sam receives |
|---|---|---|
| Account for the €80,000 contribution first, then split the rest equally | €130,000 | €50,000 |
| The reimbursement increases with the property value | €140,000 | €40,000 |
How the first agreement works
Noor is allocated €80,000 first. Of the €180,000 available, €100,000 remains. They each receive €50,000 of that balance. Noor therefore receives €130,000 in total and Sam receives €50,000.
How the second agreement works
The property has increased in value by 25%. Under their agreement, the reimbursement for Noor’s contribution therefore rises from €80,000 to €100,000. That leaves €80,000, which they split equally. Noor receives €140,000 in total and Sam receives €40,000.
You can also divide the mortgage debt differently
Instead of arranging reimbursement of your contribution, you can agree that the person bringing more of their own money takes responsibility for a smaller part of the mortgage debt.
In our example, each partner buys half of a €400,000 home. That is €200,000 per person. Noor pays €80,000 of her share with her own money. They could agree that she is responsible for €120,000 of the mortgage and Sam for €200,000. Each then finances their own half.
This is called a mortgage debt allocation agreement, or draagplichtovereenkomst: an agreement about how much of the debt each person bears between themselves. The interest payments and repayments should also reflect that arrangement. You do not then account for the same initial contribution again separately.
The most suitable approach also depends on your mortgage history and tax position. Homeloan helps you compare the financial consequences. Your private agreement does not, by itself, change the bank’s rights. With a joint mortgage, the lender can generally hold either of you responsible for the entire debt.
Does it matter whether you are living together or married?
Yes. Living together without being married or in a registered partnership does not automatically give you the same rights as a married couple. Clearly record what you agree about your contributions. Without clear arrangements, you may later disagree about what one person owes the other.
If you are married or in a registered partnership, you may already have a right to reimbursement in certain circumstances when you invest privately owned money in your shared home. That reimbursement can follow the property value. The outcome depends on factors including your marital arrangements, when you contributed the money and where it came from.
A bank account in your name does not automatically mean the money belongs only to you. Savings, inheritances and gifts may be treated differently. Have your own situation checked, even if you think everything is already arranged. If you get married after buying, review whether your agreements still work as intended.
What if the property falls in value?
Suppose Noor and Sam sell for €360,000 while their mortgage is still €320,000. Only €40,000 remains. That is less than the €80,000 Noor originally contributed.
Who bears the loss? Does Noor only receive the money available from the sale? Or does Sam also have to pay from other savings? That depends on their agreement. A right to get your contribution back does not automatically mean there will be enough money to repay it.
Discuss both gains and losses before buying. That way, you do not have to wait until a sale to discover what your agreement actually means.
Are you bringing equity from a previous home?
There is another point to consider. Equity from a previous home can affect how much mortgage interest you are allowed to deduct for Dutch income tax purposes. This is known as the bijleenregeling, the Dutch home equity reinvestment rule.
The arrangement that feels fair to you should also fit your mortgage and tax position. Homeloan considers these together, so you understand what your choice means for your monthly payments and mortgage interest deduction.
What to discuss before you buy
How much will each person contribute? Distinguish between money for the property, additional purchase costs and renovations.
How will you get that money back? Agree whether the reimbursement stays fixed or follows the property value.
Who pays which part of the mortgage? Consider both the monthly interest and repayment of the debt.
What happens if you separate? Discuss selling the property and the possibility that one of you stays.
What if there is a loss or one partner dies? Include these situations in your arrangements too.
Keep bank statements and documents showing where your contribution came from. Discuss your arrangements with the notary, for example when drawing up a cohabitation agreement. Review the position again if one of you later makes extra mortgage repayments or pays for renovations.
You do not have to figure this out on your own
Are you contributing different amounts and wondering how to arrange things properly? At Homeloan, I help you get a clear picture. We discuss what each of you is bringing, calculate what different choices mean and consider which mortgage fits your situation.
I also take your monthly payments, any equity from a previous property and your mortgage interest deduction into account. You then know which arrangements to have documented by the notary.
You speak directly with Niels, an independent mortgage adviser in Eindhoven. Meet at the office or online, in English or Dutch. Your first introductory meeting is free.
Want to know more about the support available? Read how Homeloan helps you buy a home.
Frequently asked questions about unequal contributions
Will I always get my own money back if we separate?
No, that is not automatic. It depends on your arrangements and whether you are living together or married. There must also be enough money available to pay the reimbursement. Record in advance what should happen when you sell and if there is a shortfall.
Can we each own half if I contribute more?
Yes. You can each buy half of the property and separately agree how to account for the extra contribution. You can also allocate the mortgage debt differently between you. Homeloan helps you understand the financial differences.
Do I receive more equity if I pay more of the mortgage?
Not automatically. Paying interest is different from repaying the mortgage debt. Paying more interest does not give you a larger ownership share. If you repay more of the debt than agreed, that may affect what the other person owes you. Record how you will handle this.
Do we need a notary for these arrangements?
A civil-law notary is already involved in transferring ownership of your Dutch property. Discuss your contributions and agreements with them too. At Homeloan, we can work through the financial options beforehand, so you know what you want to have documented.
What if one of us wants to stay in the property?
You calculate the amount due to the departing partner using the property value, mortgage debt and your agreements about your own money. The lender must also assess whether the remaining partner can afford the mortgage alone. Homeloan can help you explore the options.
Can we contact Homeloan before we have found a property?
Absolutely. Before making an offer, it helps to know how much you can borrow, how much of your own money you want to use and what your monthly payments would be. During a free introductory meeting, we discuss your plans and your questions about unequal contributions.
The examples are simplified. The division that applies to you depends on your personal circumstances and the agreements you put in place.