Support for customers

We understand that financial difficulties can happen. If you're having trouble paying your mortgage, we're here to support you and help find the best way forward. We know it can be hard to talk about your finances, but we’re here to help.

What should I do if I'm struggling to pay my mortgage?

Please contact us as soon as possible, even if you’re up to date with payments. The earlier you reach out, the more options we’ll have to help you. It's important to speak to us before cancelling any Direct Debits, as this could lead to missed payments, which will be reported on your credit file.

You can contact us in many ways, including through the Engage Credit Online Customer Portal, or by calling, emailing, texting or writing to us. Visit our Contact Us page for full details.

Talking to us won't impact your credit rating or appear on your credit report.

What information will I need?

To help us identify your account(s), please have your account number(s) ready. You can find these on your mortgage statements, letters from us, or in your account overview on the Engage Credit Online Customer Portal.

To support you properly, we may ask you a few simple questions about your income and spending. This helps us understand your financial situation and find the right support for you.

You can use our Income Expenditure Form to gather the information before speaking with us. It’s easy to follow and will make your conversation with us smoother and more helpful. Please take your time to complete the form carefully. The more accurate the information, the better we can help. For more information, please visit our Affordability page.

What can Engage Credit do to help?

Our dedicated Customer Support team will work with you to find a solution that suits your individual circumstances.

There are also independent and free debt advice organisations that can support you. We’ll explain how they can help and we’re happy to work with any third party you authorise. For more information, please visit our Useful Links page.

You’ll never be asked to pay more than you can afford.

Our conversations with you are confidential and our team is here to support you in an open and non-judgmental way.

We’ll take time to understand your situation, which may include discussing your income and spending. This helps us explore options tailored to your needs, so we can work together to find the best way forward.

Mortgage Options (sometimes known as forbearance) we may be able to offer you:

  • Time to allow you to get independent debt advice.
  •  Change your payment date - you may be able to change the date your mortgage payment is taken each month.
  • Use a different payment method - you might be able to change how you make your monthly payments, for example, switching from Direct Debit to a standing order or another method that suits you better.
  • A payment arrangement - we’ll work with you to agree a plan that helps you catch up on missed payments over a set period, based on what you can afford.
  • Reduced or no payments – you’ll pay less or nothing, towards your monthly payments for an agreed period, based upon what you can afford. This is called a concession arrangement.
  • Change your loan type – you might be able to temporarily switch your mortgage type, for example, from repayment to interest-only, to help reduce your monthly payments.
  • Capitalising missed payments - If you’ve missed some mortgage payments, we may be able to add those missed payments to your total mortgage balance. This is called capitalisation
  • Reducing your interest rate - in some cases, we may be able to reduce your mortgage interest rate for a short period.
  • Time to pay off your mortgage in full, such as selling your property or remortgaging.
  • Consent to let - you can apply to rent out your property for a set period.

For more information, go to our Mortgage Options page.

We’ll explain the options available and what tailored support could mean for you, including how any option will be reported on your credit file and affect your mortgage balance.

We assess every case individually and aim to find the most appropriate solution for your circumstances.

If we decline a particular option, we’ll provide you with a clear explanation for our decision.

How can I help myself?

  • Contact us early if you’re having trouble paying your mortgage or think you might in the future.
  • Seek free and independent advice (Click here for more details). 
  • Respond quickly if we try and get in touch.
  • Keep all parties informed, including anyone named on or guaranteeing the mortgage.
  • Stick to the payment plan we agree with you or let us know if your circumstances change.
  • Check if you’re eligible for any state benefits or tax credits that could help improve your financial situation.
  • Review any insurance policies (e.g. payment protection) to see if they can help with your payments.
  • Let us know if you’re selling your property.
  • Update your contact details if you move, including your phone number, so we can stay in touch.

I have received a letter about repossession - What should I do?

If you’ve received a letter telling you that your home may be repossessed, it’s important to contact us as soon as possible. We’re here to help and will talk through the options available to you.

What happens next?

  • You can contact us at any point during this process to discuss your situation and explore possible solutions.
  • If no suitable mortgage options are available, we’ll explain our workout options (also known as Loan Exit Strategies). These are serious decisions, so we strongly recommend seeking independent debt advice before considering them. Please visit our Useful Links page.
  • Repossession is a last resort. Even if court action begins, it doesn’t mean you’ll lose your home. We’ll continue working with you to try and find a solution.

For buy-to-let customers

  • We may appoint a Receiver of Rent, which could allow your tenant to stay in the property if they’re paying rent.

If we can't reach you or agree a solution:

  • We may arrange for a Field Agent to visit you and discuss your financial situation. The cost of the visit may be added to your mortgage account.
  • We may start court proceedings to repossess your home. If this happens:
    • We recommend seeking independent advice before the hearing. Please visit our Useful Links page.
    • Attend the hearing if possible. 
    • We’ll continue trying to contact you by phone and letter to reach a solution.
    • We’ll provide information about contacting your local authority before any eviction, to help you find alternative housing.
    • You’ll be given reasonable time to remove your belongings from the property.

If your home is repossessed

  • We’ll sell the property for the best price we can reasonably obtain within a reasonable timeframe.

If the sale doesn't pay off the mortgage in full:

  • You’ll still owe us the remaining amount – this is called a shortfall debt. 
  • We’ll let you know this amount as soon as possible.
  • If there’s more than one person on the mortgage, all parties are responsible for the full amount, even if you usually only pay part.
  • We’ll contact you within six years of the sale (five years in Scotland) to arrange repayment.
  • We’ll ask you a few simple questions about your income, spending and assets to help set up a payment plan.
  • If we can’t agree a plan, we may go to court to recover the debt, which could result in additional costs.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.