Huge rise in home repossession (From Western Telegraph)

Huge rise in home repossession

9:24pm Friday 22nd February 2008

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Haverfordwest County Court has shot to the top of a UK league for mortgage repossession claims, sparking worries of more families losing their homes.

Shock Government figures reveal a massive 127% rise in repossession claims in the last quarter of 2007 - the highest percentage rise anywhere in England and Wales.

There were 229 claims at Haverfordwest County Court in 2007 with 68 in the previous quarter - a 127% hike from the same period last year.

And care agencies say the figures are fully representative of a very worrying situation.

Christine Davies, Shelter Cymru's housing law caseworker for Pembrokeshire, said: "I am assisting seven families who are facing repossession in the courts this week. Unfortunately, this is an increasing trend in my work.

"The earlier people get advice, the better the chance of being able to save their home."

A Haverfordwest Citizens' Advice Bureau spokesman said the organisation had seen a notable increase in people with mortgage arrears.

"Last month we dealt with around £700,000 worth of debt issues and in the last month a large number of mortgage arrears clients.

"One of the big issues for us has been right-to-buy clients who have sub-prime mortgages or loans from non-high street lenders.

"They have borrowed more than they can afford to repay, perhaps without having proper advice."

Welsh Lib-Dem prospective parliamentary candidate John Gossage said each repossession claim was: "A tragedy for the families concerned.

"These repossession orders indicate the impact of higher interest rates, fuel prices and food prices on local people.

"We already had a scandalous problem of homelessness, reflecting the lack of affordable housing."

Shelter Cymru's head of external affairs Michelle Wales said she expected the situation to get even worse.

She added: "We expect to see an even bigger growth in 2008 as more people come to the end of fixed term deals."

She called for an increase in the range of affordable housing and low cost home ownership schemes.

Shelter Cymru information is available at www.sheltercymru.org.uk.

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