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Search forDarling pledges help for homeowners as Bristol repossessions leap
Sunday, November 23, 2008, 17:27
A total of 370 mortgage repossession orders were made by city courts during July, August and September, according to Ministry of Justice.
In Weston-super-Mare the figure has risen 23 per cent for the same period with 98 homeowners in the first stages of the legal process that means they could lose their homes.
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: "We are determined that households should have access to as much help as possible to cope in the tougher times ahead, and we will do everything we can to ensure repossession is always a last resort."
The records were released as speculation mounted that the Government was preparing to unveil a new deal to help struggling homeowners.
As part of today's pre-Budget Report, Chancellor Alistair Darling is expected to announce an agreement with major banks and building societies to give homeowners who miss mortgage repayments at least three months' grace before starting the repossession process.
The MoJ, in an attempt to reassure homeowners who are already in trouble, said new measures coming into force this week would require lenders to demonstrate to the courts that they have tried alternatives to repossession before an order is made.
Tory leader David Cameron said too many banks and building societies were failing to give warnings, leeway and help to struggling families.
He said: "In a recession there will be many people who bought a reasonable house with a reasonable mortgage but are in circumstances they can't control and are having difficulty keeping up the payments.
"We've got to help those people stay in their homes. We do face a repossessions crisis."
Separate figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders revealed 11,000 properties across the country were repossessed between July and September this year – up 12 per cent on the previous quarter.
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