Lenders need to know whether their customers can afford the ongoing costs for their home. So they pay close attention to affordability. This is taken to mean the borrowers’ household income in relation to the costs as calculated. These costs include interest, amortisation and both maintenance and ancillary costs. The latter includes, for example, insurance premiums, heating and electricity costs or reserves for future renovations. As a general rule, the costs calculated for the property should not exceed a third of household income. This includes all regular income, including the 13th month salary and any bonuses, although they are actually only partly counted (e.g. 50% of the average for the past 3 years).