eVisit

Housing

Page last updated at 11:34 GMT, Friday, November 18 2011

Help For Homeowners

Worried about Repossession?
In response to increased mortgage repossessions and the associated increased risk of homelessness, Communities & Local Government (CLG) announced a £200m Mortgage Rescue Scheme (MRS).

MRS, launched on 1st January 2009 is part of a wider package of measures to help homeowners through the current economic downturn.

These wider measures include support to out-of-work homeowners who are eligible for Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) and support to homeowners who have suffered a short term income shock and who may be eligible for the recently announced Homeowner Mortgage Support scheme.

MRS is a targeted and specific homelessness prevention tool for vulnerable households. It is intended to provide an additional safety net for up to 6,000 homeowners with vulnerable households who are at risk of losing their home through repossession over the next 2 years.

Depending on their specific circumstances, homeowners eligible for help under a MRS may be offered either:

  • a shared equity option, which enables the homeowner’s monthly mortgage payments to be reduced,
     or
  • Government mortgage to rent which enables the homeowner to remain in the property as an RSL tenant on an assured shorthold tenancy, paying a sub-market rent 

If you own a home in the borough and are threatened with repossession and want further information on your eligibility for this scheme please contact Housing Advice on 023 80 688165.

More information is available here:

Back to top