Gildi’s loan rules are flexible and offer various options for fund members. You can choose between indexed loans with fixed or variable interest rates or non-indexed loans with variable interest rates. The loan is for up to 40 years.

The loans are divided into two parts if the mortgage loan ratio exceeds the fund’s set criteria. Basic loans of up to 60% of the property’s value, and additional loans from 60 to 70% of the property’s value are granted.

Advantages

  • Choose between indexed and unindexed loans
  • Up to 70% mortgage ratio based on the value of the property
  • There is no early payment fee on housing loans, which can be paid up at any time

Housing loans:

  • Gildi only grants housing loans against a mortgage on a residential property intended as the applicant’s legal residence
  • Loans are only granted for a property that is fully owned by the applicant (a single person) or is jointly owned by the applicant and their spouse (a married couple or registered cohabitation)
  • If there are two applicants, they must be married or registered into cohabitation to be able to apply for a joint loan from Gildi. Both people must be legal owners of the property and have to go through the payment assessment together
  • It is not permitted to apply for a loan with a parent or a sibling
  • If the property is in full ownership of an individual, then the credit assessment will only consider his/her income, assets, and debt.
  • A purchase offer that both the buyer and seller have signed must accompany the application for a loan to buy a property
  • Gildi does not grant loans for buying summer houses

The borrower decides

  • Length of loan period from 5 years to 40 years
  • Indexed or unindexed interest
  • Fixed or variable interest
  • Equal instalments or equal payments

Credit Analysis

  • Gildi performs a payment ability assessment and assesses the creditworthiness of applicants
  • An exception may be made to the payment assessment when refinancing a loan from Gildi when the loan amount is equal to the amount it takes to pay off the older loan plus the borrowing cost, and the change does not increase monthly payments.
  • The payment ability assessment is based on income from the last 12 months, according to your tax register
  • Rental income is not taken into account for the payment assessment
  • Loans are not given to individuals who are currently on Creditinfo‘s defaulters list.
  • A spouse may not be included in the payment ability assessment unless they are a legal co-owner of the property

Good to Know

  • Is it possible to make additional payments on a loan?

    Yes, it is possible to make additional payments on a loan.

    If the person in question has online banking with Íslandsbanki, it is done with a command in the online banking, but alternatively, it is possible to transfer to account 0526-22-1, ID No. 421289-2639, and have the loan number in the reference (Íslandsbanki is the collection agency).

    If a loan is being paid off, Íslandsbanki must be contacted with the prepayment value for the day the loan is paid off.

  • Is there a prepayment fee on loans from Gildi?

    There is no prepayment fee on loans from Gildi, and they can be paid off at any time.

  • The Central bank‘s rules on morgages

    The Icelandic Central Bank has set rules on the maximum debt service-to-income ratio (DSTI) in proportion to disposable income. The maximum DSTI for housing loans is 35% of monthly disposable income. The maximum goes up to 40% for first-time buyers and up to 37,5% when one of the two buyers has previously owned a property.

    Debt service on non-indexed mortgage loans is calculated based on a minimum interest rate of 5.5% and a maximum loan term of 40 years, while debt service on indexed mortgages is calculated based on a minimum interest rate of 3% and a maximum loan term of 25 years.

  • How are decisions about interest rate changes made?

    Gildi’s Board of Directors decides on changes to the interest rates of mutual fund loans. In those decisions, interest rates on the market for similar loans and the fund’s risk assessment are mainly considered, but other factors are also taken into consideration. They vary depending on the type of loan, but they can include the Central Bank of Iceland’s policy rates, deposit rates as well as historical and expected inflation. More information can be found in Gildi’s loan rules.

  • What requirements are made for borrowers?

    You have to pass both a payment ability evaluation and a credit rating.

    In order to get a loan, you have to provide a mortgage on a residential property in Iceland. The mortgage rate must never be higher than 70% of the appraised market value of the relevant property. The estimated market value is based on a recent purchase agreement or property assessment of the current year.

    Loans are divided into basic loans and additional loans, depending on the mortgage rate. A basic loan has a mortgage rate of up to 60%, and an additional loan has a mortgage rate of 60–70%.

    The mortgage may not exceed 100% of the property’s fire insurance appraisal plus the plot assessment.

    As an example, the maximum loan for a property with a value of ISK 30 million is ISK 22.5 million as long as the conditions for a fire insurance appraisal are met. An amount greater than ISK 75 million is not lent (including additional loans). More information can be found in loan rules.

  • What types of loans can you get from Gildi?

    The borrower can choose from the following:

    • Indexed loans with fixed interest.
    • Indexed loans with variable interest.
    • Non-indexed loans with variable interest.
    • A combination of the above possibilities.
  • What is the processing period for loans?

    It generally takes 2–3 weeks to process a loan application.

    The borrower himself has to get the bonds publicly registered; how long it takes varies depending on the District Commissioner’s Office.

  • How is a loan paid out?

    The bonds themselves must be signed with two witnesses and submitted for official registration and collected once the registration has been completed. A bond will not be paid out until the registered document has been received by the fund.

  • What is the difference between a loan with equal instalments and a loan with an annuity?

    With equal instalments, the payment load is the highest at the beginning, but the total payments decrease as the loan period progresses. At first, the assets will be built up faster than with an annuity.

    With an annuity, the payment load of the loan remains the same for the duration of the loan. To begin with, the repayment of principal is low, but the payment of interest is high. Over time, this is reversed.

  • What is the difference between an indexed loan and a non-indexed loan?

    The principal of an indexed loan is indexed based on the consumer price index. The principal must therefore be index adjusted before regular instalments and interest are calculated. If we take an example of an ISK 10 million loan where the consumer price index increases by 1% between due dates, e.g. from 100 points to 101 points, the principal also needs to be increased (index adjusted) by 1%. It therefore increases from ISK 10 million to ISK 10.1 million before interest and instalment payments are calculated.

    The principal of a non-indexed loan does not change in relation to the consumer price index. As a result, unindexed interest rates are higher than indexed.

    It can be said that an indexed loan generally involves a lower payment burden than a non-indexed one and slower asset formation.

  • What is the difference between fixed and variable interest rates?

    Fixed interest rates mean that the interest percentage of the loan remains the same throughout the loan period.

    Variable interest rates change according to the decision of the fund’s Board at any time. When determining interest rates, the yield on registered indexed bonds with a government guarantee, market interest rates on similar loans and the fund’s risk assessment are taken into account.

    Therefore, it can be assumed that interest rates will rise or fall during the loan period, which affects the payment burden of such loans.

  • How long is the loan period on Gildi’s loans?

    Loan periods are between 5 and 40 years, at the choice of the borrower.

  • What happens if a loan goes into default?

    If the instalments or interest are not paid on the due date, late payment interest will be paid in addition to collection costs according to the tariff of a commercial bank or legal firm at each time.

    If the contract is not fulfilled, Gildi may move up the entire debt to the due date without notice. As a last resort, the borrower’s home (mortgaged property) may be foreclosed.