What the New Foundation Risk Score Means for Your Property

Since 1 April 2026, every residential appraisal report in the Netherlands must include a mandatory foundation risk classification. Here's what that means if you're buying, selling, or simply want to know where your home stands.

The Dutch housing market has always had a foundation problem, not in the sense that the market is unstable, but literally. A significant share of homes across the Netherlands, particularly in cities like Amsterdam, rest on wooden piles that were never designed to last forever. For years, this risk was acknowledged in broad strokes. From 1April 2026, it is formally measured, classified, and written into every official property valuation.

The change is straight forward in principle. In practice, it has real consequences for buyers, sellers, and anyone trying to secure a mortgage.

From vague to concrete: the A–E classification

Under the updated appraisal model, every residential valuation report must now include a foundation risk class drawn from the national database maintained by KCAF (the Knowledge Centre for Foundation Issues). The classification runs from A to E:

•      A : No known foundation risk

•      B : Low risk

•      C : Moderate risk; monitoring advisable

•      D : Elevated risk; further investigation typically required

•      E : Confirmed foundation problem

Previously, appraisal reports described foundation risk in general terms, low, medium, or high, based largely on the appraiser's own observations. Now, the KCAF database is the primary source. The appraiser is required to consult it, record the score, and note how reliable that classification is: whether it is based on confirmed data, derived from nearby properties, or the result of a modelled analysis.

If what the appraiser observes on site differs significantly from what the KCAF data shows, that discrepancy must be explained explicitly in the report. There is no room to gloss over it.

What happens when the score is D or E?

This is where the new rule has the most immediate impact. When a property receives a D or E classification, the appraiser cannot simply note the risk and move on. In most cases, a foundation investigation must be completed before the valuation report can be finalised.

That investigation typically takes the form of a QuickScan, a targeted assessment by a foundation specialist that can usually be completed within a few days. Only once the findings of that investigation are incorporated into the appraisal can the process continue.

There are exceptions. If the client declines to commission the investigation, or if there is clear documentation that the foundation has recently been repaired or is demonstrably sound, the appraiser can proceed, but must document their reasoning carefully. Mortgage lenders will scrutinise these situations closely.

It is also worth noting that the KCAF report may include an indicative estimate of potential repair costs.Appraisers are permitted to reference this figure in their reports, though it remains a rough guide, precise cost calculations always require a specialist.

The mortgage question

The foundation risk score is not just a technical footnote in an appraisal report. It has a direct line to financing. Mortgage lenders now have access to a standardised, formally recorded risk classification, and some will use it.

A D or E score can result in a lender requesting additional investigation before approving a mortgage, reducing the maximum loan amount, or declining the application outright. This is particularly relevant for buyers who are stretching their budget and relying on full financing.

What this means if you're buying or selling right now

If you are in the process of buying a property, or planning to be, the most practical step is to check theKCAF or FunderMaps register before you go too far down the road with any particular property. The classification is based on publicly available data and can often be retrieved in advance of the formal appraisal.

A score of C, D, or E should prompt a structural survey or a dedicated foundation investigation before you exchange. Not after.

If you are selling, the picture is equally clear. A poor foundation score will show up in the appraisal your buyer commissions, and it will affect what they can borrow and what they are willing to pay. Being aware of your property's classification ahead of time gives you the opportunity to address it, or at minimum, to price and position the sale with full information rather than being caught off guard during negotiations.

A change that was overdue

Foundation risk has been an open secret in the Dutch housing market for a long time. Everyone in the industry knew it existed. The question was always how formally it was being tracked and disclosed.

The new appraisal model does not solve the underlying problem, that is a much larger and more expensive challenge. What it does is bring the risk into the open, give it a standardised score, and make it part of every official transaction. For buyers, that is protection. For sellers, it is a reason to get ahead of the conversation rather than having it forced upon you.

At EHN, we have been factoring foundation risk into our advice to clients for years. If you have questions about how this change affects your situation, whether you are buying, selling, or simply want to understand the score attached to your home, we are happy to talk it through.

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