Repossessions fall in second quarter

The number of UK homes being repossessed has fallen, a fact the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has partly attributed to the good debt help many people are getting.

CML figures for the second quarter of 2012 showed 8,500 homes were taken back by lenders, compared with 9,600 in the first three months of the year.

This was in line with similar seasonal variations seen over the past three years, so the situation is not deteriorating as much as many expected, including the CML itself. It predicted 45,000 repossessions in 2012 at the turn of the year and so far the rate of homes lost is well short of that figure.

CML data also showed the number of mortgages in arrears has remained stable, with the total home loans in arrears being down slightly in the second quarter from 157,800 to 157,400.

However, the number in arrears of more than ten per cent of the balance was up a little from 28,000 to 28,300. 

CML director general Paul Smee said: "The figures show that lenders, borrowers and debt advisers are working together to get through the current period of economic difficulty and keep mortgage possessions in check.

"Generally, when borrowers prioritise their mortgage commitments, lenders can provide help appropriate to their individual circumstances."

Those seeking advice as soon as they get into trouble may find this helps them to stay on an even keel.  

It is not just standard mortgages that are being maintained more than some might have feared as the country experiences a recession.

The Finance and Leasing Association has revealed the number of repossessions for second charge mortgages issued by its members has plummeted by 37.2 per cent in the second quarter compared with the same period in 2011, falling from 234 to 147.

In the first quarter, the year-on-year tally was down 19.5 per cent from 195 to 157.

By James Francis