Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:48 pm
Hi all
Its been quite a while since I posted and I'm pleased to say that 18 months on from my full and final, I'm getting by okay. I wouldn't say its been easy. Not having a credit card to pay unexpected bills makes budgeting a delicate art. For example at the end of this month I have to find £230 for my professional membership fees. But I did manage a holiday last year (1st for 3 years)and I can socialise more than before. All the same I still find myself scraping the bottom of my bank account in the week up to payday.
Anyway the reason I'm here today is on behalf of a friend. Her marriage broke up middle of last year and she is currently going for a divorce. She has a child from a previous relationship and the father makes a monthly contribution. Her husband lived with her approx 7 years but the house has always been in her name only. He didn't even pay rent but paid for holidays and home improvements. However about 4 months before he walked out he persuaded her to remortgage and used approx £30K to pay off his debts.
Consequently she has been left with higher mortgage payments (2 yrs to run on fixed rate so not even benefitting from lower interest rates)and now finds she may be losing her job.
I don't think she has much other debt, maybe 1 credit card and a small overdraft but she's not sure what to do if she can't keep up the mortgage repayments. The property was valued in August last year and at that time had approx £20K equity though I'm sure that would be less now as both the estate agents who came to value it told her people were dropping prices all the time.
I'm looking for possible answers to her situation. In the 1st instance I guess she could ask for a payment break on her mortgage. But if she struggled to get another job in her area of expertise (professionally qualified but doesn't drive and can't be away from home) what options could she then explore.
If she has no other debts would BR be an option if she is in negative equity. Could a relative then buy the beneficial interest and she remain in the house? Even if there was say £10K equity in the property as she has a 12 yr old would she be allowed to remain in the house for a set period.
As I mentioned its been a while since I was on here and obviously things are very different now. People were still talking about 4th year equity release and using lump sum equity releases for full and finals. The property market is somewhat different I guess now and makes for changes in the proposal of IVAs.
It is possible that my friend wouldn't even qualify for BR and would only have the option of repossession then finding somewhere to rent but thats why I need the advice.
Any help much appreciated
Dave.
p.s. Hi to Melanie and Skippy. Quite certain neither of you will be on this afternoon as there's 6 Nations and Man Utd on tv.
Its been quite a while since I posted and I'm pleased to say that 18 months on from my full and final, I'm getting by okay. I wouldn't say its been easy. Not having a credit card to pay unexpected bills makes budgeting a delicate art. For example at the end of this month I have to find £230 for my professional membership fees. But I did manage a holiday last year (1st for 3 years)and I can socialise more than before. All the same I still find myself scraping the bottom of my bank account in the week up to payday.
Anyway the reason I'm here today is on behalf of a friend. Her marriage broke up middle of last year and she is currently going for a divorce. She has a child from a previous relationship and the father makes a monthly contribution. Her husband lived with her approx 7 years but the house has always been in her name only. He didn't even pay rent but paid for holidays and home improvements. However about 4 months before he walked out he persuaded her to remortgage and used approx £30K to pay off his debts.
Consequently she has been left with higher mortgage payments (2 yrs to run on fixed rate so not even benefitting from lower interest rates)and now finds she may be losing her job.
I don't think she has much other debt, maybe 1 credit card and a small overdraft but she's not sure what to do if she can't keep up the mortgage repayments. The property was valued in August last year and at that time had approx £20K equity though I'm sure that would be less now as both the estate agents who came to value it told her people were dropping prices all the time.
I'm looking for possible answers to her situation. In the 1st instance I guess she could ask for a payment break on her mortgage. But if she struggled to get another job in her area of expertise (professionally qualified but doesn't drive and can't be away from home) what options could she then explore.
If she has no other debts would BR be an option if she is in negative equity. Could a relative then buy the beneficial interest and she remain in the house? Even if there was say £10K equity in the property as she has a 12 yr old would she be allowed to remain in the house for a set period.
As I mentioned its been a while since I was on here and obviously things are very different now. People were still talking about 4th year equity release and using lump sum equity releases for full and finals. The property market is somewhat different I guess now and makes for changes in the proposal of IVAs.
It is possible that my friend wouldn't even qualify for BR and would only have the option of repossession then finding somewhere to rent but thats why I need the advice.
Any help much appreciated
Dave.
p.s. Hi to Melanie and Skippy. Quite certain neither of you will be on this afternoon as there's 6 Nations and Man Utd on tv.