Eviction threat to North Lincs homeowners
THE credit crunch is biting hard in North Lincolnshire with
record numbers of people facing repossession of their
-
homes.
The number of people threatened with eviction has soared by
more than 30 per cent over the past year.
In many cases going before the courts mortgage repayments
have not been made for three months or more.
The figure for mortgage arrears has risen by a reported 28
per cent, compared to the same time last year.
At the same time, possession actions by landlords have risen
by a staggering 61 per cent during the same period.
Mary-Ann McElhinney, the manager of the Scunthorpe County
Court, confirmed mortgage possession claims were at a record
level.
"We have had to extend the weekly hearings on Mondays from a
half-day to a full day and it shows no signs of easing up", she
said.
No figures are available to indicate how many of the 319
properties have been repossessed.
And John Burnett, the debt counsellor for North Lincolnshire
Citizen's Advice Bureau said: "The average debt in mortgage
arrears is around £2,000 per person."
"And it's not just first-time mortgagees. Often they are
second or third charges."
For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
2 Comments
by jake, scunny
Thursday, August 21 2008, 9:08PM
“Very little sympathy here, by overstretching themselves and getting a stupid mortgage compared to earnings is the reason that houses cost so much anyway. If people had shown restraint when buying, offered less or aimed lower in their buying then there wouldn't have been such a price hike and associated over borrowing.
319 possible repos? Good, 319 empty houses for landlords to buy and rent back at a more realistic rate.”
by jacko, Scunthorpe
Thursday, August 21 2008, 3:36PM
“Lets all buy caravans, we get treated better by the council then.”