Repayment support case studies:

Missing a mortgage payment

Mr and Mrs Thomson were going to miss their next mortgage payment

With two children and a dog, the couple were troubled when Mrs Thomson was made redundant from her job in the tech industry.

The mother of two had never been in a redundancy situation before and whilst she was confident she would secure a new job, the rising cost of living was already squeezing the family finances.

The couple had considered their income against their outgoings and knew they were going to fall short of their required mortgage payments.

Family of 4 walking down the street

Budgeting support

Mrs Thomson contacted us three weeks before the next mortgage repayment was due which gave us plenty of time to review their circumstances and find a short-term solution that worked for them.

A member of our friendly team began by reviewing the family’s finances, completing our online cost of living questionnaire with the couple over the phone. We also asked them to complete our income and expenditure form.

Through this process we were able to identify a number of areas where the family could reduce their outgoings slightly.

We also encouraged the couple to explore the range of government assistance that is available and talked to them about their options. We wanted to ensure they were receiving any financial support they may be eligible for.

 

Providing repayment solutions

Remaining in close contact with Mr and Mrs Thomson throughout, we understood that while savings could be made through some small lifestyle changes, they were still going to be unable to meet their next mortgage repayment.

However, having spoken to Mrs Thomson about her employment situation, we knew a rigorous job search was underway and we were confident in the near future the couple would be back on track.

We calculated the amount required based on an interest-only payment and established that they would be able to make a small contribution in addition to this - which would enable them to keep reducing the overall balance of their loan.

We therefore proposed a lower level of repayment for a short period of time as a solution to their current financial situation.

Next steps

Confident that they would be able to meet this amount, Mr and Mrs Thomson were able to worry less about the months ahead and Mrs Thomson could focus on her hunt for a new job.

We agreed to contact the couple again in three months’ time to assess if their circumstances had stayed the same or changed. Crucially, we urged them to inform us if they found themselves in a position to return their repayments to the usual level - such as when Mrs Thomson secured employment - as this would benefit them more in the long run.

If the rising cost of living is causing you some concern, we’re here to help. Please visit our Cost of Living Support Hub for helpful tools and tips to help you gain financial control.

You can also help us understand your situation by completing our questionnaire.

 

All our case studies are based on real cases but the names have been changed and stock images have been used to protect confidentiality