Mortgage payment difficulties
Are you worried about paying your mortgage?
Mortgage payment difficulties
We understand that this is a challenging time and arranging to make your forthcoming mortgage payments may be just one of the things on your mind. If you find yourself facing difficulties in meeting your monthly mortgage payments, we’re here to help. The sooner you talk to us the more opportunity we have to agree a solution.
The best way to get in touch is by emailing specialistsupport@mhbs.co.uk providing your name and contact telephone number. Please don’t send sensitive information such as your account number by email. We will arrange a telephone appointment for you with one of our Mortgage Specialists, you should allow up to 24 hours for a response.
Alternatively, please call directly on 01858 412412.
For more support
Our frequently asked questions are available to provide more information about our approach and what you can expect during this period.
We’ve outlined below some useful information to help you during this period.
At the end of this page, you’ll also find some links to other charities and agencies who may be able to provide help and support.
- If you’re concerned about money, have missed a mortgage payment, or worried you won’t be able to make a payment, it’s important you speak to us as soon as possible, our dedicated team can help. Talking to us won’t affect your credit score
- Reply quickly if we try to contact you. The sooner you get in touch the more opportunity we have to work with you to agree a way forward
- Tell us if you have a new address
- Make sure you keep any other people paying the mortgage and anyone guaranteeing the mortgage up to date with what is happening
- Check whether you can get any state benefits or tax credits, which could help to increase your income. See our other ways of getting help section below
- If you have an insurance policy, check whether it can help with your payments
- You may want to talk to a professional adviser, such as a debt counsellor or a lawyer, before you change your mortgage arrangements. We would strongly encourage you to seek independent, free debt advice. See our other ways of getting help section below
- If we agree a payment plan with you, keep up the agreed payments or tell us if there is a change in your circumstances that may affect the arrangement.
- Contact you as soon as possible to discuss your situation
- Take the time to understand your individual circumstances
- Provide detailed information about options that may be suitable for you
- Talk to an agency of your choice, which gives debt advice
- Give you reasonable time to pay back your debt
- Only start proceedings to repossess your home, as a last resort, if we cannot resolve the situation with you, or when it is detrimental to your financial well-being.
- Change the date that you make your mortgage payment
- Arrange a new payment plan with you
- Allow you to pay back your mortgage over a longer period of time (which might reduce your monthly payments)
- Offer you a different mortgage rate
- Change the type of mortgage
Our Mortgage Specialists will take the time to understand your individual circumstances, including your income and outgoings and discuss the options available to help reach a solution.
If there are no suitable options available for your individual circumstances, we will explain why and discuss next steps.
If you have a payment shortfall, or we cannot agree a solution, we may charge you for our reasonable administrative and legal costs. We will tell you the amount you will have to pay.
Some companies may offer you new loans or even invite you to sell your property to them and then lease it back as a way of resolving your short term financial difficulty. Please be careful, as such actions may not be in your long term best interests. We would strongly recommend you seek independent advice before entering into any arrangement of this type.
You may be thinking about handing your keys over to us. If you do this, you will still owe us any outstanding debt, please talk to us first, other options may be available and our dedicated team is here to help.
If you do not think we have treated you fairly, you should contact us using the details below:
Market Harborough Building Society
Welland House
The Square
Market Harborough
Leicestershire
LE16 7PD
customersfirst@mhbs.co.uk
01858 412412
If your complaint is not dealt with to your satisfaction, you may then take it to the Financial Ombudsman. The Financial Ombudsman Service provides a free and independent service for consumers and can be contacted at:
Financial Ombudsman Service
Exchange Tower
London
E14 9SR
0800 023 4567
complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
There are other charities and agencies who can provide you with support and guidance if you are facing payment difficulties. Just some of them are named below:
Cost of Living Support
www.helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk
We understand that this is a challenging time of rising living costs. The increase in the price of everyday essentials, like heating, fuel and food, alongside interest rate rises, is affecting us all. The Government has created a website ‘Help for Households’ which details support and benefits which may help you.
MoneyHelper (formerly Money Advice Service)
0800 138 7777
www.moneyhelper.org.uk
Set up by the Government, the MoneyHelper service offers free, impartial advice on everything from budgeting to managing periods of financial difficulty. You can read the Moneyhelper guide here.
Citizens Advice, England and Wales
0800 144 8848 (England)
0800 702 2020 (Wales)
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Citizens Advice offers free, impartial advice on a wide range of subjects, including specific help with mortgage problems.
Step Change Debt Charity
0800 138 1111
www.stepchange.org
Step Change offers free, impartial advice, including budgeting and managing credit commitment information.
National Debtline
0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
National Debtline provides a free, confidential and independent telephone advice service.
Business Debtline
0800 197 6026
www.businessdebtline.org
Business Debtline offers free, confidential and independent advice for self-employed people and small businesses.
Mind
www.mind.org.uk
Mind offer help whenever you might need it through information, advice, local community services and networks.
