Mortgage arrears or payment difficulties 

Are you struggling to meet your mortgage payments?

If you are a homeowner and worried about keeping up with your mortgage repayments there are a range of options available to help you. 

Contact your mortgage lender 

Your first step should be to contact your mortgage lender to find out what measures they have available to help you. Your mortgage lender cannot start proceedings to repossess your property without doing this first.  

Government schemes 

The Government has launched various schemes to help households who may be experiencing difficulties with their mortgage repayments. 

Homeowners Mortgage Support (HMS) Scheme 

The Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme aims to help people who have recently experienced a sharp reduction in their income by enabling you to postpone part of your interest payment for up to two years.

For more information about the scheme, please view the Homeowners Mortgage Support FAQs page on the left or the Guide to Home Owners Mortgage Support PDF on the right.

To find out if you are eligible for this scheme, please contact your mortgage lender. 

Mortgage Rescue Scheme 

The Mortgage Rescue Scheme offers two options, a shared equity scheme where a housing association would provide you with a low interest loan to pay off some of your mortgage, or a mortgage to rent scheme to pay off all your mortgage while you remain in your home as a tenant.

The Council is the co-ordinator of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme. For more information on this scheme, please download the Mortgage Rescue leaflets on the right.

To find out if you are eligible for this scheme please contact our Mortgage Rescue Advisor on: 

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Page updated: 29 Dec 2011