How does debt affect your credit rating?

In the 2026 financial landscape, the impact of debt on applying for a loan or mortgage is greater than ever. Although banks and other lenders primarily look at what comes in every month, they are legally obliged to take an even closer look at what existing obligations are made each month. The logic of lenders in 2026 is simple: every euro you've already pledged to another creditor cannot be used to pay a new loan. This means that debts are not simply deducted from the total loan amount, but that the monthly costs of those debts can disproportionately reduce your maximum borrowing capacity.

Understanding the relationship between existing debt and your creditworthiness (eligibility) is essential for anyone who wants to take a major financial step in 2026. In this article, we analyse how different types of debt are weighted and how they affect your chances at the bank.

The weighting factor of the BKR

Most consumer debts in the Netherlands are registered with the Credit Registration Office (BKR). In 2026, the BKR still uses the rule that loans from €250 are listed with a term of more than one month. When a bank tests your creditworthiness, they look at the “weighting factor” of these registrations.

Lenders not only look at the outstanding amount, but at the theoretical monthly payment. For a revolving credit or credit card limit, the bank often charges with a weighting factor of 2%. This means that an unused credit card limit of €2,500 is seen by the bank as a monthly charge of €50. Because this €50 is deducted directly from your disposable income, this could result in a reduction in your maximum mortgage by up to €10,000 to €12,000 in 2026. Canceling unused credit space is therefore the fastest way to increase your eligibility.

The impact of student debt at DUO

One of the most discussed topics in 2026 remains the influence of student debt on mortgage applications. Since the introduction of the new calculation method, we no longer look at the original amount of the debt, but at the actual monthly payment that you pay to DUO.

This is an advantage for borrowers who have repaid extra, because their monthly payments are lower. However, for those under the loan system, the impact can still be significant. Banks deduct the monthly payment to DUO directly against the permitted financing burden. In 2026, the rule of thumb applies: every euro you pay to DUO each month reduces your maximum mortgage amount by about 20 to 25 times that monthly payment. Transparency is mandatory here; the concealment of student debt will be discovered more quickly in 2026 through links to source data and may lead to immediate rejection of the application due to fraud.

Private lease: The silent killer of borrowing capacity

Private leasing will be more popular than ever in 2026, but it remains one of the hardest debts when applying for a loan. A private lease contract is 100% registered with the BKR as a financial obligation.

Because a lease amount includes depreciation of the car as well as interest and maintenance costs, the bank sees this as a very high fixed expense. For a lease car of €400 per month, the impact on a mortgage in 2026 could amount to a reduction of €80,000 in loan space. This is because the full monthly cost of the lease is deducted from the amount you could spend on a mortgage each month. For many consumers, this is the reason to first arrange home financing in 2026 before signing a lease contract.

Liabilities outside the BKR: Alimony and private loans

Not all debts are visible in the BKR systems, but they do affect your eligibility. By 2026, banks will be required to thoroughly investigate your bank statements for the past three to six months.

• Spousal maintenance: This is seen by lenders as a fixed expense that is directly deducted from income. It lowers the credit rating significantly. Child support, on the other hand, is often not deducted directly from income, but included in general living costs, so that the impact is slightly less direct on the principal amount.
• Private loans (family bank): Did you borrow money from your parents for a previous purchase? The interest and repayment on these loans must also be specified. In 2026, banks will more often ask for proof of such loans to prevent consumers from unknowingly being overcredited.

The role of late payments (A-codes)

In addition to the amount of the debt, your past payment behavior will determine your eligibility in 2026. A BKR registration is not bad in itself, as long as it does not include “codes”.

An A (Backlog) coding means that you have failed to meet your obligations at any time. In 2026, most major banks will have a zero tolerance policy for recent backlog encryptions. Even if the debt has now been repaid (H-coding for Recovery), the registration remains visible for five years. During those five years, obtaining a new loan or mortgage from regular providers is almost impossible. This underlines the importance of a flawless credit history for your future creditworthiness.

Debt consolidation and eligibility improvement

In 2026, we will see a trend where consumers are actively trying to improve their creditworthiness through debt consolidation. This means that several small, expensive loans (such as mail-order loans or credit card debts with 10% interest) are merged into one personal loan with a lower interest rate and a fixed term.

Although this does not directly reduce total debt, it reduces monthly payments. Because banks are looking more at the actual monthly pressure on the household budget in 2026, transferring scattered debts to a comprehensive loan can sometimes make just the difference in qualifying for a mortgage. Strategically repaying the smallest loans with the highest weighting factor is the most effective method to restore your eligibility in the short term in 2026.

In 2026, your debt burden is not just a reflection of what you owe, but a blueprint of your financial discipline and future space. Managing this balance sheet is key to a successful loan application.