Facing financial difficulty
Please don't ignore the problem.
If you are having trouble paying your mortgage, there are a variety of options available that may ease your situation and ultimately help to resolve the issue. This section explains the things that you should consider and the actions that we will take to help you.
- First and foremost - don't ignore the problem. Call us on the appropriate phone number below as soon as possible if you are having problems paying your mortgage or think that you may experience difficulty doing so in the near future:
- 0345 725 3253* - if you haven't yet fallen behind with your mortgage payments. Lines are open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
- 0800 028 0486 - if you are already behind with your mortgage payments. (Lines are open 8am - 8pm Mon-Fri, 8am - 5pm Sat)
Steps you should take to help
- If you are struggling with your financial commitments, you should pay all your essential bills first, such as your mortgage, utility bills (electricity, gas, water), insurances, council tax and housekeeping. You should ensure that you pay these essential bills before making any payments towards credit cards or loans.
- Check whether you can get any state benefits or tax credits which could help to increase your income.
- If you have an insurance policy, such as income protection insurance, check whether this could help with your payments.
- Seek debt advice, such as from StepChange or Money Wellness if you would like help with managing your finances.
- Make sure you keep all joint mortgage holders, and anyone acting as a guarantor on the mortgage, up to date with what is happening.
- Get back to us quickly if we try to contact you to discuss your mortgage.
If you have fallen behind with your payments - we will do the following.
We will:
- Attempt to contact you as soon as possible to discuss your circumstances.
- Give you a reasonable period of time to pay back the debt.
- Talk to an agency which gives debt advice, for example StepChange or Money Wellness, if you’d like us to.
- Offer to send an external field agent to see you to discuss your financial circumstances.
- Attempt to arrange a new payment plan with you, taking both your interests and our responsibilities as the lender into account. If a plan is agreed, it is important that you keep to it - or you tell us if there is a change in your circumstances that may affect the arrangement.
- Offer to change the method by which you make your payments or the date on which you make them.
- See whether we can allow you to pay back your mortgage over a longer period of time to reduce your monthly payments.
- See if a change to the type of mortgage you have is available to you and whether this will reduce your monthly repayments.
If we cannot offer you any of the options above, we will tell you why. If we are able to offer one or more of them, we will explain how each option would work and give you time to consider it.
You may wish to talk to a professional adviser, such as an external field agent or a lawyer, before you change your mortgage arrangements. We would strongly advise that you seek independent, free, debt advice.
Find support that’s right for you
Use our tool to find free help and advice, from different organisations.
Select the option most relevant to you
How would you like to access support?
How would you like to access support?
How would you like to access support?
Please see the full list of support providers available.
Turn2us
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Who are they? |
Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: turn2us |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
To make sure you get the best results possible, it helps to have the following to hand:
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Turn2us
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Who are they? |
Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: turn2us |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
To make sure you get the best results possible, it helps to have the following to hand:
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Turn2us - Benefits and grants
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Who are they? |
Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: turn2us |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
To make sure you get the best results possible, it helps to have the following to hand:
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Citizens Advice
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Who are they? |
Citizens Advice have been providing free, impartial, independent advice for over 80 years. Giving people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem. This national charity and network of local charities offer confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: Citizens Advice (England), or call: 0800 144 8848 Visit: Citizens Advice (Wales), or call: 0800 702 2020 Visit: Citizens Advice (Scotland), or call: 0800 028 1456 Visit: Citizens Advice NI (Northern Ireland), call: 0800 915 4604 |
Citizens Advice - General advice
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Who are they? |
Citizens Advice have been providing free, impartial, independent advice for over 80 years. Giving people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem. This national charity and network of local charities offer confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: Citizens Advice (England), or call: 0800 144 8848 Visit: Citizens Advice (Wales), or call: 0800 702 2020 Visit: Citizens Advice (Scotland), or call: 0800 028 1456 Visit: Citizens Advice NI (Northern Ireland), call: 0800 915 4604 |
StepChange
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Who are they? |
StepChange have a team of debt experts that help hundreds of thousands of people a year to deal with their debt problems. With 30 years' experience, you can be confident that they can provide the advice and support you need to achieve long-term financial control. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: StepChange Call: 0800 138 1111 (Lines open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-2pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
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StepChange
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Who are they? |
StepChange have a team of debt experts that help hundreds of thousands of people a year to deal with their debt problems. With 30 years' experience, you can be confident that they can provide the advice and support you need to achieve long-term financial control. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: StepChange Call: 0800 138 1111 (Lines open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-2pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
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Money Wellness - Debt advice
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Who are they? |
Money Wellness are passionate about improving financial wellbeing, offering free advice and support to over a million people for the last 30 years. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: Money Wellness Call: 0800 307 7002 (Lines open Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm). We also offer:
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
A bank statement can be useful but not essential. The customer should have at least an hour available for an advice session. |
StepChange - Debt advice
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Who are they? |
StepChange have a team of debt experts that help hundreds of thousands of people a year to deal with their debt problems. With 30 years' experience, you can be confident that they can provide the advice and support you need to achieve long-term financial control. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: StepChange Call: 0800 138 1111 (Lines open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-2pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
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Money Wellness
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Who are they? |
Money Wellness are passionate about improving financial wellbeing, offering free advice and support to over a million people for the last 30 years. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: Money Wellness Call: 0800 307 7002 (Lines open Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm). We also offer:
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
A bank statement can be useful but not essential. The customer should have at least an hour available for an advice session. |
PayPlan
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Who are they? |
PayPlan offer free, confidential debt advice and solutions to make life more affordable. Instant support tailored to your needs. Available via phone, WhatsApp, live chat and 24/7 online. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: PayPlan. If you would like to speak to someone, please call 0800 980 4162. (Lines open Mon-Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–3pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
It would be helpful to have information such as a bank statement to hand, however, don’t worry if you don’t as our adviser will still be able to support you. |
PayPlan - Debt advice
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Who are they? |
PayPlan offer free, confidential debt advice and solutions to make life more affordable. Instant support tailored to your needs. Available via phone, WhatsApp, live chat and 24/7 online. |
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What support can they offer? |
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How to get in touch |
Visit: PayPlan. If you would like to speak to someone, please call 0800 980 4162. (Lines open Mon-Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–3pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
It would be helpful to have information such as a bank statement to hand, however, don’t worry if you don’t as our adviser will still be able to support you. |
Shelter
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Who are they? |
Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. They give advice, information and advocacy to people, work in communities to understand the housing emergency and change the system and carry out ground-breaking research and campaigns. We work in partnership with Shelter Cymru in Wales and the Housing Rights Service in Northern Ireland, as well as Focus Ireland in Ireland. |
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What support can they offer? |
We can help:
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How to get in touch |
Visit: Shelter Call: 0808 800 4444 (Lines open Mon to Fri, 8am-6pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
It is useful to have documents ready before you call, like your tenancy agreement, relevant letters or messages. |
Shelter - Housing
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Who are they? |
Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. They give advice, information and advocacy to people, work in communities to understand the housing emergency and change the system and carry out ground-breaking research and campaigns. We work in partnership with Shelter Cymru in Wales and the Housing Rights Service in Northern Ireland, as well as Focus Ireland in Ireland. |
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What support can they offer? |
We can help:
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How to get in touch |
Visit: Shelter Call: 0808 800 4444 (Lines open Mon to Fri, 8am-6pm). |
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What will you need when you speak to them? |
It is useful to have documents ready before you call, like your tenancy agreement, relevant letters or messages. |
We are digital
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Who are they? |
We are digital believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive and succeed, no matter their circumstances. They empower people to take control of their lives and create positive change. The Digital Helpline, provided in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, helps get you online through personalised training and support. Developing your digital skills and learning how to access online services, such as online banking - can help you be more confident in everyday life. |
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What support can they offer? |
Free 1-2-1 digital skills training over the phone, helping you learn how to:
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How to get in touch |
Call: 0345 222 0333 (Lines open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) Those who are Deaf and use British Sign Language (BSL) can book a session using SignVideo. Available on Safari, Chrome or Firefox web browsers. Customers who have hearing loss or a speech impairment can use the service through Relay UK. |
We are digital - Online digital training
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Who are they? |
We are digital believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive and succeed, no matter their circumstances. They empower people to take control of their lives and create positive change. The Digital Helpline, provided in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, helps get you online through personalised training and support. Developing your digital skills and learning how to access online services, such as online banking - can help you be more confident in everyday life. |
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What support can they offer? |
Free 1-2-1 digital skills training over the phone, helping you learn how to:
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How to get in touch |
Call: 0345 222 0333 (Lines open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) Those who are Deaf and use British Sign Language (BSL) can book a session using SignVideo. Available on Safari, Chrome or Firefox web browsers. Customers who have hearing loss or a speech impairment can use the service through Relay UK. |
Costs and charges
If your mortgage goes into arrears, we may charge you for reasonable administration and, more importantly, legal costs. We will tell you the amount you will have to pay.
Legal proceedings
If we cannot agree on a solution with you to clear your arrears, we may go to court to start proceedings to repossess your home. If proceedings take place, it is strongly recommended that you attend the court and that you seek independent debt advice.
The commencement of court proceedings does not necessarily mean that we will repossess your home. We will keep trying to solve the problem with you. Repossession is a last resort.
If your home is repossessed, we will give you advice about getting in touch with your local authority to see if they can find you somewhere else to live.
If your home is repossessed
- We will sell it for the best price we can reasonably achieve.
- We will try to sell it as soon as possible.
- We will give you reasonable time to take your possessions from your home.
- We will use the money raised from selling your home to pay all loans and charges secured by your mortgage.
- If there is any money left over, we will pay it to you.
- If there is not enough money from the sale to pay off the entire mortgage, you will still owe us the amount that is left over (a shortfall debt). We will tell you what this is as soon as possible.
- If you bought your home with other borrowers, each of you will be responsible for all the money borrowed. This is true even if you normally only pay part of the mortgage.
- We will take account of your income and outgoings when trying to arrange a suitable payment plan for this shortfall debt with you.
- If we cannot arrange a plan, we may go to court to recover the money, and you might have to pay additional court costs.
- If a shortfall debt is not paid, it could affect whether you are able to get credit in future.
Complaints
If you think that we have not treated you fairly in dealing with any arrears on your mortgage, first please talk to us and let us know what the problem is. The chances are that your complaint can be quickly resolved by the area you are dealing with - so please contact them first on 0800 028 0486.
If, after going through the complaints process, you're still unhappy, you can then refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (The Financial Ombudsman Service is only available once you have received the final letter of response from us, or if you have not received a final response after 8 weeks). 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
Phone: 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Other issues
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 advise you to 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 The Mortgage Business any outstanding debt, and we advise you to discuss this option with us first before taking such action.
Useful Links
FCA - What to do when you can't make your payments (PDF, 428 KB)