Useful organisations for
Information and advice
This page gives you details of organisations that can provide advice
and/or information about mortgage and debt problems.
Cambridge City Council
Housing Options & Advice Team
Mandela House
4 Regent Street
Cambridge CB2 1BY
Tel : 01223 457918
Offers advice advocacy on housing rights and options and preventing homelessness.
Cambridge Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB)
72-74 Newmarket Road
Cambridge CB5 8DZ
Tel : 0844 8487979
Help to resolve any legal, money, welfare benefits issues or other problems.
Cambridge Law Centre
41 Mill Road
Cambridge CB1 2AW
Tel : 01223 712222
Specialist help with housing problems
Consumer Credit Counselling Service
Offers assistance in resolving multiple debts
on 0800 138 1111 , or visit www.cccs.co.uk
Council of Mortgage Lenders
Represents the interests of most mortgage providers. It does not provide advice but has useful
information on mortgages:
www.cml.org.uk
Financial Services Ombudsman
Aims to settle unresolved disputes between customers and mortgage providers. For information
call 0845 080 1800 or visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Financial Services Authority (FSA)
Operates a consumer helpline 0845 606 1234, and produces a series of guides on ow to manage
money: www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk
Land registry
Has details of the ownership of registered land and property. For a small fee you can
find out who is the owner of a property at www.landregister.gov.uk
National Debtline
Help on how to deal with debt problems from 0808 808 4000, or visit
www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
Payplan
Debt solutions and debt advice on 0800 91 7 7823, or visit www.payplan.com
Shelter
Free housing advice helpline 0808 800 4444*, open 8am–8pm, seven days a week
and includes help on related mortgage debt or welfare benefits issues. Alternatively visit
www.shelter.org.uk/adviceonline
*note: some mobile phone networks may
charge for calls to this number.
Mortgage arrears
Checklist
Make a decision
Are you able to pay your monthly instalment and an amount towards the arrears?
If not, are your financial circumstances likely to improve? If so, when?
Do you want to remain in the home or sell it?
Prepare a budget
Prepare a budget showing all your income and expenditure.
What items do you have to pay for?
What are non-essential items?
Do you have other loans?
Options available to you?
Pay current instalment plus an amount towards the arrears.
Clear the arrears with a lump sum.
Capitalise the arrears – arrears are added to the mortgage and are then paid over the remaining
term of your mortgage.
Extend the term of your mortgage.
Switch mortgage – for example, switch from a repayment mortgage to an interest-only mortgage,
which may have lower monthly instalments.
Payment holiday – ask for a temporary suspension of payments.
Contact your lender
Have you contacted your lender?
Have you made any arrangements to clear the arrears?
Have you been able to keep to any agreements agreed?
Are the payments agreed realistic?
Have you discussed the options available to you (listed above)?
Notification of court hearing
If you are unable to make an arrangement to clear the arrears, it is likely that the lender will take
possession action. You should receive a letter from the lender explaining what will happen if the
arrears are not paid off. If the arrears remain outstanding then a claim form and particulars of
claim will be sent to you by the court. This will contain details of the lender’s case and the date of
the court hearing.
Preparing for court
You need to be able to explain: Why you are in arrears. If you are in temporary difficulties,
why and when will your financial circumstances improve?
What contact you have had with the lender?
How you plan to repay the arrears, together with your monthly instalments.
The value of your property If you have other loans secured on your property.
If your property is for sale, how long has it been on the market?
If there a potential buyer. If so, what stage has the sale reached?
The hearing
It is important that you attend the hearing.
When at court you may want to check whether there is an adviser or solicitor on a court duty desk
who could assist you with representing your case.
At the hearing the court will decide whether to:
grant outright possession,
postpone or suspend possession on certain conditions,
adjourn the case to a later date,
or dismiss the case,