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More families face losing their homes

A GROWING number of families in the south face losing their homes as the credit crunch pushes up mortgage payments, new figures have revealed.

Records published by the Ministry of Justice show mortgage providers started legal action against 1,043 households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the first three months of this year - a nine per cent increase on the number of repossession claims made during the same period last year.

They included 251 at Southampton County Court (up one per cent), 30 in Winchester (up 76 per cent) and 77 on the Isle of Wight (up 28 per cent).

The number of repossession orders granted by the Southampton court in the first quarter of this year was 192 - up four per cent on last year. In Winchester the number of orders remained at 13.

Nationally, repossession claims rose by 16 per cent to 40,442 in the first three months of this year.

The figures came as the Government announced a £10m package of measures to support homeowners facing difficulties with their mortgage, including expanded access to free legal representation at county courts for households at risk of repossession and funding for more specialist training on debt advice for Citizen Advice Bureau and local authorities.

Chancellor Alistair Darling said: "The fundamentals of the housing market remain strong with high employment and low interest rates. But it is clear from speaking to consumer groups and the mortgage industry that borrowers may be concerned about the impact of the current market conditions.

"That is why it is vital that the Government, working with industry, offers as much support as possible both directly to those people and to the consumer advice groups who can help them."

Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps said: "We called on the Government to provide greater debt advice more than 18 months ago and in the last three months David Cameron has urged mortgage lenders to warn borrowers when cheap rates were coming to an end and to consider staggering rate rises.

"While we welcome the Government belatedly getting on board, it's too little too late and does nothing to help the 27,000 families who have already experienced repossession."

Lesley Rose, of Winchester Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), told the Daily Echo: "We are aware of an increase in the number of repossessions going to court and are getting an increasing number of inquiries concerning debt."

11:38am Saturday 10th May 2008

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Posted by: vanessa, eastleigh on 1:25pm Sat 10 May 08
Being a houseowner through the keyworker scheme i feel that the Banks and Building societys are too big to care these days and they are fully aware that if you have a property through the keyworker scheme you cant IVA your debt because technically you have equity in your property even though you cant touch it,the goverment should right off all keyworker loans and allow the little people to get above the bread line and not be struggling all there lives!! We just about get by with a minus in our accounts every month,how about they think about all the families they could keep together by doing this (i would be better off seperated from my partner financially??)
Posted by: mr x on 3:26pm Sat 10 May 08
fuel prices up 80%. gas electric up 30% ect ect.then the mortgage goes up. the only thing that doesn't go up is people wages unless your a city banker of course.
Posted by: paul b on 5:15pm Sat 10 May 08
These dregs of society are a complete burden. Either get better-paid jobs, or sod off to another country, you bunch of self-pitying scroungers
Posted by: Ian, Eastleigh on 10:08pm Sat 10 May 08
Paul b must be a city banker.unfortunatly my profession has recived below inflation pay awards for the last few years and it would seem that this will not change uless we get a new goverment! Protecting the public is and will always be underpayed.how safe would you be without us Mr banker ?
Posted by: Tony, Sholing on 10:47pm Sat 10 May 08
Ian wrote:
Paul b must be a city banker.unfortunatly my profession has recived below inflation pay awards for the last few years and it would seem that this will not change uless we get a new goverment! Protecting the public is and will always be underpayed.how safe would you be without us Mr banker ?
I reckon the arrogant b**tard is just something that rhymes with banker!! This is what you get when the tories get a sniff of power!
Posted by: Stu, Eastleigh on 10:59pm Sat 10 May 08
We lost our home in 1991 after the last property crash and it followed us until 2006 when we finally paid off the deficit. Our new mortgage taken out in 2006 is fixed for 10 years which is a relief, but Vanessa, you say you can't IVA your debt, I think you can, try www.mccambridgeduffy
.co.uk
We're self employed and McCambridge Duffy saved our home, business and sanity. Good luck to you and anyone is a similar situation.
Posted by: helhod, canarys on 11:16am Sun 11 May 08
due to all immigrants moving into social housing no one else stands a chance of being rehoused.
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