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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rock delays moves on repossession | Rock delays moves on repossession |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The nationalised Northern Rock bank has adopted a policy of waiting six months before repossessing a mortgage borrower who has fallen into arrears. | The nationalised Northern Rock bank has adopted a policy of waiting six months before repossessing a mortgage borrower who has fallen into arrears. |
| The bank is copying the recent example of RBS NatWest, now under majority state control. | The bank is copying the recent example of RBS NatWest, now under majority state control. |
| Northern Rock said it normally took 15 months to repossess a home anyway. | Northern Rock said it normally took 15 months to repossess a home anyway. |
| But the bank has been accused of being aggressive and recently admitted that it would account for 10% of all repossessions this year. | But the bank has been accused of being aggressive and recently admitted that it would account for 10% of all repossessions this year. |
| "We continue to work with customers facing repayment difficulties to try and agree an acceptable debt management solution and avoid repossession," said Gary Hoffman, the Rock's chief executive. | "We continue to work with customers facing repayment difficulties to try and agree an acceptable debt management solution and avoid repossession," said Gary Hoffman, the Rock's chief executive. |
| "In the vast majority of cases, where repossession regrettably does take place, we have been working with the customer for well over six months. | "In the vast majority of cases, where repossession regrettably does take place, we have been working with the customer for well over six months. |
| "We will now formalise our policy and agree not to repossess a property for a period of at least six months from the point of arrears," he explained. | "We will now formalise our policy and agree not to repossess a property for a period of at least six months from the point of arrears," he explained. |
| Recession | Recession |
| The bank said repossession was always a last resort, and that at the moment only 1% of its cases involved people who were less than six months behind with their mortgage payments. | The bank said repossession was always a last resort, and that at the moment only 1% of its cases involved people who were less than six months behind with their mortgage payments. |
| But the problem is growing throughout the banking industry as the economy heads towards recession and more people are made unemployed. | But the problem is growing throughout the banking industry as the economy heads towards recession and more people are made unemployed. |
| The number of repossessions jumped by 12% in the third quarter of the year, according to figures from the Council of Mortgage lenders (CML), with 11,300 homes taken back in that period. | The number of repossessions jumped by 12% in the third quarter of the year, according to figures from the Council of Mortgage lenders (CML), with 11,300 homes taken back in that period. |
| That brought the total this year to 30,200, higher than the 26,200 for the whole of 2007, and much higher than the figure of just 8,200 in 2004. | That brought the total this year to 30,200, higher than the 26,200 for the whole of 2007, and much higher than the figure of just 8,200 in 2004. |
| The CML predicts that 45,000 homes will be seized by lenders this year and with 168,000 borrowers behind with their repayments the number of home seizures is likely to grow further. | |
| Court protocol | |
| Last week, the major lenders formally agreed to a minimum three-month delay before starting repossession proceedings, although they argued this was standard practice in the industry anyway. | |
| The announcements from the Northern Rock, and the RBS NatWest on Monday, come against a background of government initiatives aimed at stemming the likely flow of repossessions as more borrowers default on their loans. | |
| In October, lenders were told that if they went to court to gain permission for a repossession they would have to show they had obeyed a new legal protocol. | |
| This requires them to show that they tried to discuss and agree alternative arrangements, which might include a full or partial repayment holiday, changing the type of mortgage or extending the repayment term. | |
| Rescue schemes | |
| In September the government also launched a mortgage rescue scheme aimed at helping up to 6,000 people in England avoid eviction. | |
| A £200m fund has been put into place which will help local councils bail them out. | |
| The options that would be available to a social landlord, such as a council or housing association, include: | |
| • buying the home, paying off the loan, and renting the house back to the family instead | |
| • buying a share in the home and letting the owner pay off part of their mortgage | |
| • simply lending the homeowner the money they need. | |
| Other government measures will allow people on income support, or claiming job seekers allowance (JSA), to apply for much more government money to help repay the interest on their mortgages. | |
| The waiting period for those on income support, or JSA, to be eligble for such support is being cut from 39 weeks to 13. | |
| And the value of the mortgage on which the interest is repaid is going to rise to £200,000. |