Visit the Citizens Advice Bureau website.
You can find out how to avoid falling behind with your mortgage payments, how to clear your debt if you do fall behind and what happens if you are taken to court because of mortgage debts.
Mortgage and rent payments are priority debts and should always be paid first. If you are having problems, there are a number of services and schemes that can help.
The most important thing to do is to take action as soon as possible and not ignore any problems you may have.
In the Harrogate area, the following could help.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Shelter
The homeless charity, Shelter, has information on what to do if you are faced with repossession. You can find helpful information on the Shelter website.
Mortgage Breathing Space
This is a temporary measure, following a change in circumstances such as redundancy or ill health. Help can be provided through an interest-free secured loan to pay off mortgage arrears. The loan may also provide ongoing mortgage instalments for up to 12 months.
The Mortgage Breathing Space can be used to provide financial help with arrears and ongoing payments for secured loans. The amount available is between £2,000 and £15,000. Payments are made direct to your lender.
Anyone who takes out a Mortgage Breathing Space loan does not have to repay any monthly instalments, during the three-year loan period.
The benefits include:
- there are no fees or set up costs
- the loan is interest free
- the loan is fully repaid at the end of the three year period so that we can offer help to other households
Breathing Space allows you time to consider your longer-term options, such as re-financing, re-mortgaging your home or selling at a realistic market price.
To qualify for help, your mortgage and secured debts plus our loan should be below 90 per cent of the value of your home. Anyone can apply as there are no house value restrictions. For more information and details of how to apply, contact us.
Support for mortgage interest
If you are claiming certain benefits, you may be able to get help with your housing costs, including mortgage interest and interest on loans you have taken out for repairs or improvements. This type of help is often referred to as support for mortgage interest or income support mortgage interest payments. This is administered by the Department of Work and Pensions. More details are available on the Government website.
You can also visit the National Debtline website. Their advisers are experts in debt advice and the service is free. They will give you all the advice and support you need to deal with your debts yourself.