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Repossession figures
14/08/2009
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today responded to the latest repossession figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Ms Sturgeon said:
"While it is encouraging that levels of repossessions have fallen in the second quarter of 2009, this underlines the importance and effectiveness of the Scottish Government's decisive action to tackle repossessions.
"We have increased funding for the Home Owners Support Fund to £35m. Through the Mortgage to Rent and Mortgage to Shared Equity schemes this will help those who cannot access support anywhere else to stay in their homes
"Since January, almost 150 families have benefited from the mortgage rescue schemes in Scotland. That compares to only six in England.
"In the past six months we have provided an additional £1 million to CAS for its face to face debt advice services; £3 million for an additional in-court and other advice services; £175,000 for Shelter's helpline and housing law advice services and extended legal aid to one million more Scots.
"And we are making £250,000 available to help advice agencies reassure their clients of the quality of their information and advice services through accreditation against the Scottish National Standards as recommended by the Repossessions Group.
"And in June we pledged that the law will be strengthened to protect those hard-pressed families facing the threat of repossession. What we are offering is something with real teeth - the full protection that only legislation offers.
"Lenders will be required to show that they have considered every reasonable alternative to repossession, and to ensure that the courts consider the extent to which they have done so when deciding on repossessions cases.
"We will ensure that the protection available through the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act 2001 applies in all repossession cases, instead of just those where the home owner defends the action."