BKM Bausparkasse Mainz review 2026

The arrangement fee depends on the variant chosen: in the ZinsPlus variant, which is geared to saving, it is 1.0 percent of the building savings sum, and in the financing variant HausPlus 1.6 percent. With a building savings sum of €50,000, that is €500 or €800 respectively, offset against the first payments. During the savings phase, BKM charges an account fee of €18 a year. In the loan phase this fee does not apply, which many competitors handle differently. No loan fee and no premium (Agio) are charged on the building society loan itself – payout is therefore at 100 percent. Scoring (14/25): For the arrangement fee we assess the cheaper variant at 1.0 percent, which gives 8 out of 15 points. The account fee of €18 a year falls in the up-to-€24 level and brings 2 out of 6 points. Because no loan fee applies, there are the full 4 points.

The J PlusLine tariff in the HausPlus variant is among the cheapest building society loans on the market. With optional allocation, the customer can choose between a borrowing rate of 0.99, 1.49 and 1.99 percent – the lower the interest rate chosen, the longer the waiting time or the higher the requirements for the savings balance. Across all terms variants, the range extends to 2.29 percent, and the effective annual rate starts at 1.53 percent. The chosen interest rate is guaranteed from the conclusion of the contract and applies until the loan is fully repaid. The interest and repayment instalment is 4 per mille of the building savings sum per month, which corresponds to a standard repayment speed: with a building savings sum of €50,000 that is €200 a month for interest and repayment together. Scoring (26/28): With an effective annual rate from 1.53 percent, BKM is below the 2.0 percent threshold and receives the full 18 points. The interest rate guaranteed from the conclusion of the contract brings 5 out of 5 points. For the standard interest and repayment instalment of 4 per mille we award 3 out of 5 points.

In the savings phase, the two variants differ markedly. ZinsPlus pays 0.25 percent on the balance and also holds out a savings bonus of up to 3 percent if the contract is held for at least seven years and not used for financing. The financing variant HausPlus, by contrast, pays only 0.01 percent – here the advantage lies entirely on the loan side. For regular allocation, a minimum savings balance of 40 percent of the building savings sum is required. The regular savings instalment is 3 per mille of the building savings sum per month and is thus lower than at many competitors. The minimum building savings sum is €10,000 (HausPlus) or €5,000 (ZinsPlus), and the minimum savings period is 18 months. Scoring (11/17): The credit interest of 0.25 percent in the ZinsPlus variant reaches the corresponding level and brings 4 out of 10 points; the savings bonus is tied to conditions and is therefore not counted. The minimum savings balance of 40 percent gives the full 4 points, and the low regular savings instalment of 3 per mille the full 3 points.

The allocation rules are publicly documented through the product information sheet for tariff J. Particularly worth highlighting is optional allocation: it is possible after just 24 months, regardless of how much balance has been saved by then. Anyone who wants the loan sooner accepts a higher borrowing rate within the optional range. According to BKM, special repayments on the building society loan are possible at any time and free of charge. On switching tariff, the building society is more restricted: the choice between the terms variants is documented, but a genuine switch to another tariff is not publicly verified. There is also no complete information on increasing, reducing and splitting the building savings sum. Scoring (14/18): For the documented allocation conditions including optional allocation there are the full 5 points, and for the special repayment that is free at any time the full 6 points. Because the adjustment of the building savings sum is only partly documented, we award 2 out of 4 points; the restricted tariff switch brings 1 out of 3 points.

BKM covers all three relevant support routes. The tariffs are approved for the housing bonus (Wohnungsbauprämie), provided the income limits are met. Employer-funded capital formation benefits (vermögenswirksame Leistungen, VL) can be paid in directly, and the contract is approved for the employee savings bonus (Arbeitnehmer-Sparzulage). For the owner-occupier pension (Eigenheimrente), the building society offers a certified Wohn-Riester tariff with PLUS Riester or tariff W. Basic and child allowances thus flow directly into the mortgage. The support is tied to residential use and is later taxed on a deferred basis via the housing support account (Wohnförderkonto). Scoring (7/7): Bonus eligibility (3 points), VL eligibility with allowance entitlement (2 points) and a certified Wohn-Riester tariff (2 points) give the full score.

BKM Bausparkasse Mainz AG is subject to BaFin supervision and is a member of the statutory deposit protection, which covers balances up to €100,000 per customer. In addition, the building society is a member of the deposit protection fund of the private building societies, which secures deposits beyond the statutory limit. Contract administration runs through the customer portal meine.bkm.de. We could not verify a mobile app of its own, so we apply the lower level here. The BKM can be reached by phone on 06131 303-500 Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. Scoring (4/5): BaFin supervision and statutory deposit protection bring the full 2 points. Because only a web portal and no app can be verified, we award 1 out of 2 points for online administration. The reachable hotline brings the last point.