Is there anyone who knows about mortgage arrears and repossession proceedings?

[Epona]

It was due to a sequence of fuckups in terms of who was supposed to be paying what, when - I can pay off the arrears in full, but the letter I have received (from what alleges to be a legal firm) is very aggressive and doesn't give any info about how to just pay it off and make it all go away.

If anyone is knowledgeable in this field I would be grateful if you could PM me, it's just a stupid error but I can't see how to sort it out.

 

[Cloo]

It was due to a sequence of fuckups in terms of who was supposed to be paying what, when - I can pay off the arrears in full, but the letter I have received (from what alleges to be a legal firm) is very aggressive and doesn't give any info about how to just pay it off and make it all go away.

If anyone is knowledgeable in this field I would be grateful if you could PM me, it's just a stupid error but I can't see how to sort it out.

Can you speak to your mortgage provider and ask them how to proceed? Sorry you're having this stress.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

can't offer any expert advice, but would have thought first thing to do is talk to lender not this bunch of twunts.

seems a bit unreasonable of them to get the attack dogs in first without talking to you (if that's what you're saying)

hope you get it sorted out

 

[Callie]

Thirded... go to provider asap and arrange with them.

Good luck!

 

[Epona]

Can you speak to your mortgage provider and ask them how to proceed? Sorry you're having this stress.

I dunno, I mean it's complicated by the fact that my mortgage provider won't accept a debit card payment from me because my debit card is in my married name and my mortgage is in my maiden name and I have no ID.
I just am no good at coping with stuff like this.
It seems legally the mortgage company have a right to initiate repossession proceedings after 3 months of arrears (once I got my standing order sorted out I've overpaid by 2 months since) - but it does seem faintly ridiculous when I'm in year 22 of a 25 year mortgage, borrowed £75k, have paid back £130k to date, but oh god if your standing order fucks up and you fall behind they're going to repossess - it's just fucking nightmare territory.
(I owe about £1.5k, which I have available to pay it off. The legal firm are saying that I still need to fill in an income and expenditure report and go to a court hearing, even if I pay it off, just that once paid off there will be no eviction date set - but the repossession order will stand no matter what I do).

 

[Sue]

Sorry to hear this, Epona. There's some useful stuff here:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/mortgage-arrears-help/

 

[cesare]

You can bank transfer the arrears to your mortgage account. You just need the mortgage provider's account details and put your mortgage account number as your reference. This is possible online but you may feel safer going into your bank and having them do it for you.

Then a letter to the court (I'm assuming you have Notice of a court hearing).

 

[Epona]

You can bank transfer the arrears to your mortgage account. You just need the mortgage provider's account details and put your mortgage account number as your reference. This is possible online but you may feel safer going into your bank and having them do it for you.

Then a letter to the court (I'm assuming you have Notice of a court hearing).

It's a small enough amount (which is what makes this all the more ridiculous) that I can probably transfer it using my banking app.
Or set up a one-off Standing Order (although that will be a few days hence because it's not possible to do an instant SO) then cancel it after the payment has gone through.
God I hate talking to people on the phone, this is really the result of Not Being Able To Deal With Stuff By Phone.

 

[cesare]

It's a small enough amount (which is what makes this all the more ridiculous) that I can probably transfer it using my banking app.
Or set up a one-off Standing Order (although that will be a few days hence because it's not possible to do an instant SO then cancel it after the payment has gone through).
God I hate talking to people on the phone, this is really the result of Not Being Able To Deal With Stuff By Phone.

You can probably do it via the app, less hassle.

Then follow up.with.response to the law firm or court.

I'd be very happy to do this for you or with you? Talk to anyone on the phone If required?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

with bank transfers to new people / organisations, it's sometimes best to transfer a token ten quid or something, then make sure they have got it, then transfer the rest

just in case someone has made a balls up with the account number or something and the money disappears in to an electronic hole.

 

[baldrick]

Lenders don't really like going to repossession as it's quite a costly and laborious process.

Do you have an app to access your mortgage account? Sometimes you can do a live chat with people on there rather than have to telephone.

Best of luck with sorting it out.

 

[Epona]

Lenders don't really like going to repossession as it's quite a costly and laborious process.

Do you have an app to access your mortgage account? Sometimes you can do a live chat with people on there rather than have to telephone.

Best of luck with sorting it out.

Tried to do that but can't set it up due to lack of ID.
I only managed to get a bank account under the governments certain banks have to give everyone a basic bank account scheme.

Basically the bottom dropped out of my life back in the day, I used to have bank accounts, passports, a job, then I had some sort of breakdown and got credit problems, no ID since then.

 

[WouldBe]

Seems a bit strange to call lawyers in to start with. When I had a similar problem the bank contacted me directly. I phoned them up, had a chat to find out what had happened, made a payment to clear the overdue amount and increased my standing order and it was all sorted.

As others have said I'd phone your mortgage provider and have a word with them.

 

[Epona]

Seems a bit strange to call lawyers in to start with. When I had a similar problem the bank contacted me directly. I phoned them up, had a chat to find out what had happened, made a payment to clear the overdue amount and increased my standing order and it was all sorted.

As others have said I'd phone your mortgage provider and have a word with them.

It's not "to start with".
It's "I can't deal with stuff as it arises". I'm autistic and struggle with life admin.
I didn't even know there was arrears at first because someone else was (very kindly) paying the mortgage for me by standing order and didn't adjust the amount upwards.

 

[Epona]

And I know people will think well why didn't I deal with this a couple of months ago, but I can't open my post due to stress, I can't do phone calls, I can't find a job where anyone will employ me, it's not that easy as someone sends you a letter and you deal with it, time goes by really quickly when you're neurodiverse - you think "oh I'll sort that out tomorrow" and then you forget about it and it's a month or so later, and I daresay everyone will say I should have dealt with it right away, but if being ND wasn't a problem, it wouldn't be a problem if that makes any sort of sense whatsoever.

I was mis-sold the mortgage anyway (mortgage broker exaggerated my earnings to sell me the property and get a commission - the estate agent was also the mortgage broker) and it's always been a struggle to pay it, but it's way too late now 22 years later to report that.

 

[cesare]

I've been there, where you can't open post. I've been there with mortgage arrears. I'll help if you want.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

I understand the phone thing. I have it too.
I put up with a day of toothache due to not wanting to ring 111 again.
Also mortgage arrears. We didn't realise we were sending money too late late so the payment hadn't cleared in time.

 

[Epona]

I've been there, where you can't open post. I've been there with mortgage arrears. I'll help if you want.

I'm going to see if I can make a payment covering the arrears by bank transfer direct to the mortgage lender using my banking app tomorrow, bypassing the legal firm.
If I need someone to call anyone on my behalf if I cannot cope with it, I'll PM you. My partner is also ND and finds these things just as challenging, if not more so, albeit in slightly different ways.
Thank you.

 

[cesare]

I'm going to see if I can make a payment covering the arrears by bank transfer direct to the mortgage lender using my banking app tomorrow, bypassing the legal firm.
If I need someone to call anyone on my behalf if I cannot cope with it, I'll PM you. My partner is also ND and finds these things just as challenging, if not more so, albeit in slightly different ways.
Thank you.

Sounds like a plan!

I've got no qualms heading off legal firms btw, absolutely happy to make any calls needed X

 

[WouldBe]

It's not "to start with".
It's "I can't deal with stuff as it arises". I'm autistic and struggle with life admin.
I didn't even know there was arrears at first because someone else was (very kindly) paying the mortgage for me by standing order and didn't adjust the amount upwards.

I'm similar and that's just how my arrears arise.

 

[Epona]

I'm similar and that's just how my arrears arise.

Are your lenders generally alright with it when you pay off the arrears?

 

[WouldBe]

Are your lenders generally alright with it when you pay off the arrears?

Yes they were. There was no pressure just a very amicable conversation and it was all sorted. Suppose it depends who your lender is, mines with tsb.

 

[VivaE]

I dunno, I mean it's complicated by the fact that my mortgage provider won't accept a debit card payment from me because my debit card is in my married name and my mortgage is in my maiden name and I have no ID.
I just am no good at coping with stuff like this.
It seems legally the mortgage company have a right to initiate repossession proceedings after 3 months of arrears (once I got my standing order sorted out I've overpaid by 2 months since) - but it does seem faintly ridiculous when I'm in year 22 of a 25 year mortgage, borrowed £75k, have paid back £130k to date, but oh god if your standing order fucks up and you fall behind they're going to repossess - it's just fucking nightmare territory.
(I owe about £1.5k, which I have available to pay it off. The legal firm are saying that I still need to fill in an income and expenditure report and go to a court hearing, even if I pay it off, just that once paid off there will be no eviction date set - but the repossession order will stand no matter what I do).

When you say legal firm, are you talking about a debt collection agency that the debt has been passed on to or an actual letter from the mortgage provider's legal dept? Because a debt collection agency doesn't have anything like the power it might claim to have. That 'court hearing' bit in particular sounds like bullshit bullyboy tactics. I'm putting a link here that I hope will be helpful to you. These people (at Stepchange) are incredibly helpful in terms of advice and sorting out stressful and what might seem on the surface insurmountable problems. Which yours, honestly, really doesn't sound like since you're willing/able to pay the outstanding balance. I'm sorry you're going through this and hope you manage to get everything sorted out.

Debt Collection Agency Contact. Free Advice. StepChange

 

[moochedit]

It may not be a real law firm. Some banks have been known to send "fake" law firm letters to scare people.

 

[moochedit]

I would just go to your nearest branch and pay whatever you owe.

 

[panpete]

Hello Epona
Sorry to hear you have had this hassle.
I just came on this thread.
You might remember I am ND too, and I know how complicated things can get with phones, I wish you all the best, big hugs.

 

[furluxor]

I'm only a legal student so can't dish out advice, but if I remember correctly:

• technically, the bank has the right to possession from the beginning of your mortgage. They just don't enforce it because it would undo the whole mortgage system. So they're informing you about the likelihood of them taking action but they had that right throughout.
• if you're able and willing to pay, the court shouldn't grant possession. They can give you more time or demand payment on the spot but if there's a reasonable explanation and you can pay, they'll just let you pay off the arrears.
• some courts have granted "mortgage holidays" to people (sometimes even for a number of years) but it's near impossible to have that now.

Again, this is just on top of my head and my memory could be failing me (if any particular point is of interest, let me know - I can dig out my land law book and look it up). Just wanted to mention that under your circumstances it's highly, highly unlikely that they would be able to repossess.