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Mortgage payment holidays extended until July next year

Mortgage lenders have extended mortgage payment holidays until 31st July 2021 for those whose finances have been affected by the pandemic.

People have until 31st March 2021 to apply, while they need to do so before 31st January to get a six-month deferral.

Those who have already taken a six month payment holiday are ineligible, and will need to contact their lender for “tailored support” instead.

Eric Leenders, managing director of personal finance at UK Finance, said: “Lenders are continuing to provide unprecedented levels of support to help customers through the Covid-19 crisis, with over 2.6 million mortgage payment deferrals already granted.

“As the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt across the country, the banking and finance industry stands ready to deliver ongoing assistance to those in need.

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“While it will always be in the long-term interest of customers who are able to do so to resume making payments, all lenders will be providing tailored support for anyone who is still struggling.

“There are a range of different ways to get in touch, including through online chat, social media and mobile and banking apps.

“As you will appreciate, phone lines are very busy at this time and we would encourage only those customers who are facing an immediate issue with their finances to call their provider in the first instance.”

Lenders will not enforce repossessions, or attempt to get a warrant for possession before 31 January 2021.

Robin Fieth, chief executive of the Building Societies Association (BSA), said: “Whilst the best advice is always to pay your mortgage if you are able to, anyone who is struggling to do this could benefit from the extension to the mortgage payment deferral scheme or other tailored support that is available from lenders.

Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division

“It’s important that customers discuss their situation with their lender as soon as they become concerned, and before they miss a mortgage payment. Lenders will do everything in their power to help borrowers in financial difficulty at this challenging time – keeping people in their homes is the objective.

“The FCA has been in listening mode throughout the pandemic and their final guidance includes industry suggestions, specifically the ability to top up to six months even if a borrower has had two shorter deferral periods already and not excluding borrowers who have missed a payment after a deferral period from the scheme.”

BY RYAN BEMBRIDGE

Source: Property Wire

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Mortgage payment holidays have been a vital lifeline

Mortgage payment holidays have proved a vital lifeline for homeowners struggling financially due to the COVID-19 crisis, according to online mortgage broker Trussle.

However, following the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) statement that mortgage payment holidays will not extend past 31 October, and further financial supports after that point will affect borrowers’ credit files, Trussle has urged homeowners to use caution with this support system.

Miles Robinson, head of mortgages at Trussle, said: “It’s clear that mortgage payment holidays have proved a vital lifeline for some homeowners who have suffered financially as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s important to know that unlike before, if you need financial support from your lender after 31 October, it will be marked on your credit file.

“We’d urge homeowners to only utilise the mortgage payment holiday if it’s essential.”

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Robinson also highlighted that once a homeowner’s mortgage payment holiday reaches its end, their monthly payments will increase as a result of additional interest being added to the total mortgage balance.

Meanwhile some lenders offer other viable alternatives; this includes switching some of the loan amount to interest-only payments in the short-term.

Miles Robinson, head of mortgages at Trussle, said: “For existing homeowners, now could also be a good time to think about remortgaging.

“Our customers save £334 on average per month by remortgaging onto a fixed rate, so it is worth using a remortgage calculator to see if switching could save you money.

“Any aspiring or existing homeowners who are considering taking a mortgage payment holiday should seek professional advice as soon as possible to discuss their options.”

By Jake Carter

Source: Mortgage Introducer

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FCA announces extension of mortgage holidays

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed the extension of mortgage holidays for consumers who still face financial difficulties, as well as those whose financial situation may be newly affected by coronavirus after the current FCA mortgage guidance ends.

The FCA has published additional guidance for firms meaning they must offer further short and longer-term support reflecting the circumstances of their customers. This could include extending the repayment term or restructuring of the mortgage.

Where consumers need further short-term support, firms can continue to offer arrangements for no or reduced payments for a specified period to give customers time to get back on track. This additional guidance will come into force on 16 September 2020.

Christopher Woolard, interim chief executive at the FCA, said: “Some consumers will continue to be impacted by coronavirus in the coming months, or be impacted for the first time. Consumers in these situations will benefit from firms providing them with tailored support.

“However, it is very important that consumers who can afford to resume mortgage payments should do so for their own long-term interests and so that help can be targeted at those most in need.”

Under the guidance published today, firms will prioritise support for borrowers who are at most risk of harm, or who face the greatest financial difficulties.

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The new guidance reinforces the need for firms to deliver outcomes that are right for individual borrowers rather than adopting “one size fits all” solutions. The FCA will be monitoring firms to ensure borrowers are treated fairly having regard to their individual circumstances.

The FCA has said that firms will also signpost borrowers to the support they need in managing their finances, including through self-help and money guidance, or refer borrowers to organisations that can provide free debt advice if this meets their needs and circumstances.

Where borrowers have taken, or are taking, payment deferrals under the existing guidance and require further support from lenders these further arrangements can be reflected on credit files in accordance with normal reporting processes. This also applies to borrowers newly affected by coronavirus who receive support from their lender after 31 October.

This will help to ensure that lenders have an accurate picture of consumers’ financial circumstances and reduce the risk of unaffordable lending. Firms are required to be clear about the credit file implications of any forms of support offered to borrowers.

The FCA’s current guidance published in June will continue to provide support for those impacted by coronavirus until 31 October 2020 – with consumers able to take a first or second three-month payment deferral until this date.

The June guidance is due to expire on 31 October and the FCA do not intend to extend this guidance. The guidance published today ensures consumers will still be able to obtain the support they need from their lenders after their payment holiday ends or they are newly affected by coronavirus after 31 October.

However, the watchdog has said it will keep the guidance under review and if circumstances change significantly, consideration will be given to any further measures that may be needed to support consumers during the ongoing pandemic.

Source: Scottish Housing News

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Landlords on payment holidays denied buy to let mortgages

Landlords who have taken a payment holiday because tenants are unable to pay their rent are being rejected for mortgages to buy new properties.

Buy-to-let borrowers are urged to think carefully before taking a break in repayments, especially if they are planning on adding to their portfolio in the near future.

As with residential mortgages, landlords have been able to access a break in mortgage repayments for three months since March.

Recent guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) means extensions of a further three months are available, with applications for a pause open until the end of October.

Payment breaks do not negatively affect credit files and this appears to be giving the impression that the ability to borrow is not impacted.

The regulator warned that “credit files aren’t the only source of information which lenders can use to assess creditworthiness”.

And lenders are now turning down purchase applications if repayments are not being made on one of the properties in the portfolio.

‘Use as a last resort’
A number of advisers told our sister title, Mortgage Solutions, they have seen this happen in recent weeks.

Edward Peters, buy-to-let specialist broker at Mortgage 1st, said he had several instances where payment holidays were “interfering with mortgage applications” across different lenders.

He added: “People are aware these don’t show as mortgage arrears on credit reports, but this has been extrapolated to a belief that coronavirus holidays have no effect.

“Lenders will often ask if any holidays have been taken on any properties in the portfolio, and this may well affect their lending decision.

“So far, most holidays I’ve come across have been requested only as a precaution against rental defaults, and not to offset an actual reduction in income.

“Landlords need to think carefully when requesting a holiday, especially if other applications are imminent or in progress.

“It’s easy to understand the lenders’ mentality on this. A payment holiday is effectively an admission of not being able to cover the mortgage payment, and so should be used only as a last resort.”

As part of measures to ease financial pressures on households, possessions and evictions are also currently barred.

Landlords have in some cases arguably been encouraged to take payment breaks if tenants cannot pay rents.

For example, Nationwide said it is contacting all its landlord borrowers to let them know holidays are available where rent is not being paid.

Not ‘in the spirit’ of situation
The National Residential Landlords Association said turning down borrowing applications was “not in the spirit” of the special coronavirus measures implemented by the FCA and the government.

John Stewart, deputy policy director for the trade body, said: “The Financial Conduct Authority has been clear that where mortgage holidays are secured in response to coronavirus they should not have a negative impact on the applicant’s credit file.

“It is therefore deeply disappointing that there are lenders not abiding by the spirit of these guidelines, and are failing to support otherwise reliable customers.

“It should not be right that landlords seeking to support tenants genuinely struggling due to the pandemic are being penalised in this way.”

Emergency break
Chris Sykes, mortgage consultant at Private Finance said he could see it from the perspective of both lenders and landlords.

Landlords who are not repaying debt on one property do not appear to be a good lending risk.

Sykes said he also understood why landlords were taking a holiday even if they do have savings and could maybe want to grow their portfolio to spread risk.

He added: “This is a short-term measure and I don’t expect we will see it being an issue in six months’ time as it leaves no lasting negative on the credit file as confirmed by Experian and Equifax.

“We are all aware it isn’t a great situation right now for a lot of people and hopefully these things are only short-term.

“However, I do not think people realise the affect it can have, maybe they should be called an emergency payment break rather than a holiday.”

Written by: Lana Clements

Source: Your Money

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Mortgage payment holidays extended for three more months

Those struggling to pay their mortgage due to coronavirus will be able to extend their mortgage payment holidays for three more months, or start making reduced payments, the financial regulator has confirmed.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published draft guidance last month with proposals for helping those with mortgages, including extending the application period for an initial mortgage holiday until 31 October 2020, so that customers who haven’t had a payment holiday and are experiencing financial difficulty would be able to ask for one up to this date.

The measures proposed have now been confirmed after a brief consultation and the guidance will come into force from this Thursday (4 June).

What the FCA expects mortgage lenders to do

Here’s a full rundown of the new rules being put in place by the FCA:

  • If you’ve not had a mortgage payment holiday, you’ll have until 31 October 2020 to apply. Customers who are making repayments now but get into financial difficulty later will be able to request a payment holiday until 31 October.
  • If your payment holiday’s ending, you can ask for another three months if you’re still struggling. Lenders should continue to support customers who have already had a payment holiday where they need further help, unless granting a further mortgage holiday would create its own financial difficulties. 

    Firms are expected to contact customers on mortgage payment holidays and find out what they can repay and, for those who remain in temporary financial difficulty, offer further support. As part of this, firms should consider a further three-month payment holiday.
  • If you can make full or partial payments, you should do so. At the end of a payment holiday, firms should find out if customers can resume payments, or part payments. If so, your lender should contact you to agree a plan on how the missed payments will be repaid, which could include spreading the cost of payments over the remaining mortgage term, or extending the mortgage term.
  • The current ban on repossessions of homes will continue until 31 October 2020.
     
  • Payment holidays and partial payment holidays won’t go down as a missed payment on your credit file. However, the FCA says that consumers should remember that credit files aren’t the only source of information that lenders can use to assess how creditworthy someone is. MSE revealed last month that taking a mortgage or other payment holiday could still have an impact on future credit applications. 

The FCA adds that these rules are minimum standards and that they don’t stop firms from going above and beyond, for example by offering reduced interest.

Buy-to-let mortgages aren’t technically covered as they’re not regulated by the FCA. Yet if a lender is regulated for its residential mortgage business, the FCA says it also looks carefully at how these firms carry out their unregulated buy-to-let business, so it’s hoped that some mortgage lenders will offer the extensions to their landlord customers too.

What does the FCA say?

Christopher Woolard, interim FCA chief executive, said: “The measures we have confirmed today will mean anyone who needs to can get help from their lender, if they are still struggling to pay their mortgage due to coronavirus.

“It is important that if a consumer can afford to restart mortgage payments, it is in their best interests to do so. Customers should talk to their firm about the best option available for them.”

By Callum Mason

Source: Money Saving Expert

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Lenders pledge ongoing support for those affected by Covid

Mortgage lenders are committed to supporting borrowers who are reaching the end of a three-month payment holiday to choose the next steps that best suit their needs, according to UK Finance.

This comes after HM Treasury confirmed last week (May 22) that mortgage customers, who were struggling to pay due to the coronavirus, can extend their payment holiday for an additional three months or begin to make reduced payments.

Figures from UK Finance showed that an equivalent of one in six mortgages are currently covered by a payment holiday, with more than 1.82m payment holidays having been issued as of May 20.

The industry body said it was “important that customers receive the support that is right for them” and for those who had already taken a payment holiday, an extension “may be appropriate in some circumstances”.

It encouraged borrowers who are concerned about their ability to pay to contact their lender and consider the “full set of options available to them”.

These include reduced payments, a move to interest-only payments for a period, extending the term of the mortgage to reduce payments, taking a payment holiday if the customer has not already done so or a further extension of the payment holiday.

Stephen Jones, UK Finance CEO, said: “Mortgage lenders are committed to providing those borrowers nearing the end of their three-month payment holiday with help and flexibility in choosing the next steps which best suit their needs.

“The industry looks forward to regulatory guidance being finalised swiftly to ensure both borrowers and lenders can plan over the coming weeks.

“Meanwhile those borrowers who have already taken a mortgage payment holiday and can afford to make payments are encouraged to do so, as this will reduce the level of their repayments in the long run.”

In response, Vim Maru, retail director at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We are already proactively contacting our customers who will be reaching the end of their repayment holidays to support them in restarting their payments.

“For those who may continue to be financially impacted, we will offer a range of support based on their current financial circumstances.”

But Dominik Lipnicki, director at Your Mortgage Decisions, said he would welcome a “more uniformed approach from lenders when it comes to the ease of application [of a payment holiday] and how these borrowers are looked at in the future when remortgaging or buying a new home”.

Research from YouGov for Nationwide found that 21 per cent of homeowners in April were worried about not being able to keep up with mortgage payments, and 14 per cent feared losing their home.

Lenders have also committed to continue suspending involuntary repossessions for residential and buy-to-let customers until October 31, as set out in the Financial Conduct Authority’s draft guidance for lenders published last week (May 22).

On the day the FCA published its draft guidance, Nationwide pledged that none of its mortgage customers, who fell into arrears as a result of Covid-19, would see their home repossessed until the end of May 2021, if they worked with the provider to “get their finances back on track”.

Joe Garner, chief executive at Nationwide, said: “As a mutual, founded to help people into a home of their own, this is what building societies have always been about. We hope this additional support will provide extra flexibility to those who most need it, to help get them back on track.”

Mr Lipnicki added: “The fact that repossessions are on hold is a very welcome relief for affected borrowers and I am sure that more flexibility will need to be applied even after October 31”.

By Chloe Cheung

Source: FT Adviser

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Homeowners set to be able to extend mortgage payment holidays

Those struggling to pay their mortgage due to coronavirus are set to be able to extend their payment holidays for three more months, or start making reduced payments, in proposals published today.

On 17 March, banks agreed with the Chancellor that they would offer ‘forbearance’ (tolerance and help) on mortgages, meaning they all should offer those struggling a three-month ‘holiday’, allowing customers a temporary break from having to make mortgage payments during this time.

Over 1.8 million mortgage payment holidays were taken up, and the first of these will be ending in June. But an extension of another three months will now likely be available.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) new draft guidance also includes an extension of the application period for an initial mortgage holiday until 31 October 2020, so that customers who haven’t had a payment holiday and are experiencing financial difficulty will be able to ask for one.

The current ban on repossessions of homes will be continued until 31 October as well.

Full info on what the FCA expects mortgage lenders to do?

At the moment, these proposals aren’t confirmed. The FCA says it welcomes comments on them until 5pm on Tuesday 26 May, and then expects to confirm them shortly afterwards. Here’s what it’s proposing:

  • If you’ve not had a mortgage payment holiday, you’ll have until 31 October 2020 to apply. Customers who are making repayments now but get into financial difficulty later will be able to request a payment holiday until 31 October.
  • If your payment holiday’s ending, you can ask for another three months if you’re still struggling. Lenders should continue to support customers who have already had a payment holiday where they need further help, unless granting a further mortgage holiday would create its own financial difficulties.
  • Firms are expected to contact customers on mortgage payment holidays and find out what they can repay and, for those who remain in temporary financial difficulty, offer further support. As part of this, firms should consider a further three-month payment holiday.
  • If you can make full or partial payments, you should do so. At the end of a payment holiday, firms should find out if customers can resume payments, or part payments. If so, your lender should contact you to agree a plan on how the missed payments will be repaid, which could include spreading the cost of payments over the remaining mortgage term, or extending the mortgage term.
  • The current ban on repossessions of homes will be continued until 31 October 2020.
  • Payment holidays and partial payment holidays won’t go down as a missed payment on your credit file. However, the FCA says that consumers should remember that credit files aren’t the only source of information that lenders can use to assess how creditworthy someone is.

The FCA adds that these recommendations are minimum standards and that they don’t stop firms from going above and beyond, for example, by offering reduced interest.

Buy-to-let mortgages aren’t technically covered by today’s announcement as they’re not regulated by the FCA. Yet if a lender is regulated for its residential mortgage business, the FCA says it also looks carefully at how these firms carry out their unregulated buy-to-let business, so it’s hoped that some mortgage lenders will offer the extensions to their landlord customers too.

What impact could a mortgage holiday have on my credit score?

As Martin and the FCA have pointed out, while mortgage payment holidays won’t be marked as missed payments on your credit report, they could still have an impact on your wider creditworthiness, as lenders can find out about them through bank statements or ‘Open Banking’ data, and can factor them in. As Martin says…

‘We wait to see how substantial the impact will be – but those who need a mortgage holiday should still do it’

The FCA has confirmed, sadly, that while credit files shouldn’t be impacted by mortgage or other payment holidays, lenders are still allowed to take them into account when making their acceptance decisions.

It’s impossible to say yet how widespread this will be or how substantial the impact will be – we’ll start to learn that over the next year. Each lender’s assessment process is different; it’s a dark art that’s hidden from the public and never published, so this is likely to be yet another factor applicants will need to navigate.

Certainly many new challenger financial firms talk about their new, more sophisticated customer assessment models, that they believe are better than just relying on credit files. It’s that very fact that sparked me to look at this in the first place. And as they will be able to see that someone has temporarily not paid their mortgage, they can spot payment holidays.

My hope is that as these holidays are specifically for the short-term financial hit of coronavirus – and as the practice is so widespread – it won’t be used by many firms, and where it is it won’t tarnish individuals’ credit reputation for too long. But there’s no real way to know.

Most importantly, I don’t believe this should stop anyone who needs a mortgage holiday from getting one – if it’s crucial for cash flow, just do it. Yet for those on the border, who may find it temporarily useful but can cope without it, add this to the fact that interest racks up during the payment holiday and I’d err on the side of caution.

What does the FCA say?

Christopher Woolard, FCA interim chief executive, said: “Our expectations are clear – anyone who continues to need help should get help from their lender. We expect firms to work with customers on the best options available for them, paying particular attention to the needs of their vulnerable customers, and to provide information on where to access help and advice.

“Where consumers can afford to restart mortgage payments, it is in their best interests to do so. But where they can’t, a range of further support will be available. People who are struggling and have not had a mortgage payment holiday will also continue to be able to apply until 31 October.”

By Callum Mason

Source: Money Saving Expert

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Government to extend mortgage payment holidays

Mortgage payment holidays are likely to be extended past June, according to a report in the Financial Times.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is said to be in discussions with the banking sector about an extension.

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said “The government’s initial launch of mortgage holidays brought welcome relief for homeowners who had their income affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

“The scheme, where payment could be deferred with zero negative impact to credit ratings, resulted in up to one in nine homeowners making use of the initiative.

“Though a formal announcement is yet to be made, many businesses are still closed and the full extent of job losses is still becoming clear, so any extension to the scheme will be welcomed.”

As it stands more than 1.6 million mortgage customers have taken a payment holiday.

The government’s furlough scheme has already been extended until the end of October.

Haqqi added: “Should homeowners wish to look into a payment holiday on their mortgage, it’s important to remember that you will still owe the money and interest will continue to accrue while the deferred payments remain unpaid.

“This means that your monthly payments will likely go up slightly after the payment holiday ends.

“While the option to take a payment holiday on mortgages will have been a lifeline for many, if you are still able to make your payments in full, you should continue to do so.”

BY RYAN BEMBRIDGE

Source: Property Wire

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Only a handful of landlords applying for a payment holiday need one

Mortgages for Business says only “a handful” of landlords contacting its switchboard about mortgage repayment holidays are raising legitimate concerns about how to pay their mortgage in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The commercial and residential mortgage broker acknowledged there are landlords in geniune difficulty. But said most of the landlords it has been talking to since the scheme was opened do have sufficient means to get them through a difficult period.

Steve Olejnik, managing director of Mortgages for Business, commented: “We’re having a lot of discussions with landlords around payment holiday requests. Only a handful are raising legitimate concerns about how to pay their mortgage in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Quite apart from the moral implications of abusing an emergency mortgage repayment scheme brought in at a time of national crisis, it could play out badly for the landlord.”

Landlords need to think long and hard before submitting a request for a payment holiday to their mortgage lender. They shouldn’t ask for a payment holiday unless they need it, if only because it could affect current and future applications. Lenders are reconsidering applications when a landlord has asked for a payment holiday on their existing loans.

Olejnik said: “Landlords must be aware that any requests could potentially damage any approaches to that lender. Lenders expect landlords to be able to cover void periods under normal circumstances – where a property is empty, and a landlord isn’t getting any rent – so they won’t take kindly to landlords trying to take advantage of them just to build up some cash reserves.

“One borrower with three live cases with their lender approached them for repayment holidays on another, existing loan. The lender immediately cancelled all three.

“Smart landlords, who want to capitalise on short-term house price falls and expand their portfolios when the lockdown is lifted, should think long and hard before approaching their lender.”

Additionally, Mortgages for Business points out that most buy-to-let lenders will ask landlords to prove they are in financial hardship before granting any holiday request. While a landlord’s ultimate tenant may be in distress and unable to make rental payments – to benefit from the scheme, landlords also need to unable to meet their mortgage repayments.

Olejnik added: “The message is simple. Do not approach lenders for payment holidays without first taking advice and thinking about the longer-term consequences. Don’t jump on the repayment holiday bandwagon.

“Any deferred payments will have to be made at some stage and it could create problems down the line – especially when you come to refinance or grow the portfolio.”

Landlords facing genuine financial hardship, who cannot afford to meet a mortgage repayment, should not cancel their direct debit payment to lenders, assuming a repayment holiday will be granted. Lenders will class this as a ‘missed payment’ and it will affect a landlord’s credit profile.

By Joanne Atkin

Source: Mortgage Finance Gazette

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1.24 million mortgage borrowers given payment holidays by lenders

More than 1.2 million mortgage payment holidays have been granted to households whose finances have been impacted by Covid-19, UK Finance has revealed.

This means that one in nine residential and buy-to-let mortgages (11.2%) in the UK are now subject to a payment holiday.

For the average borrower, the payment holiday amounts to £260 per month of suspended interest payments. This is calculated using the average interest rate of 2.37% on an average loan size of £132,128 in the UK, as of 31 December 2019.

On 17 March, the Government gave the go ahead for mortgage lenders to allow payment holidays and the number has more than tripled in the two weeks between 25 March and 8 April, growing from 392,130 to 1,240,680.

This is an increase of nearly 850,000 or an average of around 61,000 payment holidays being granted by lenders each day.

According to the Building Societies Association, a quarter of a million of the total figure of 1.24 million is mortgage payment holidays granted by building societies.

The UK Finance figures are grossed up from a representative sample and could be revised slightly as firms identify double-counting and other anomalies in previous daily totals.

Stephen Jones, UK Finance CEO, said: “Mortgage lenders have been working tirelessly to help homeowners get through this challenging period. The industry has pulled out all the stops in recent weeks to give an unprecedented number of customers a payment holiday, and we stand ready to help more over the coming months.”

Robin Fieth, Building Societies Association CEO, said: “We know that this is a difficult time for many homeowners with a mortgage and building society staff have been working hard to offer individuals the right solution.

“For almost quarter of a million so far, that has been a three month payment holiday offering a much needed breathing space to families whose household income is under severe pressure during the current crisis.”

Telephone lines remain extremely busy and lenders have been updating their websites with the latest information on the support available to answer customers’ queries. Many lenders are offering customers the option to apply for a mortgage payment holiday through an online form on their website.

Lenders are also urging mortgage holders not to cancel their direct debits before a payment holiday has been agreed, as this will be counted as a missed payment and could impact their credit file.

By Joanne Atkin

Source: Mortgage Finance Gazette