FF TD calls for control on vulture funds

[Brendan Burgess]

Finance Minister Jack Chambers is urged to introduce rules to manage vulture funds

Finance Minister Jack Chambers has been called on to introduce rules to stop vulture funds acting in what has been described as an unfair manner with mortgage holders who are trapped with them.

www.independent.ie

I am glad to see someone taking on the issue, but he doesn't really understand it.

He claimed funds won’t offer proper write-downs and instead are only offering token write-offs of debt for those unable to meet their repayments.


Vulture funds do not offer fixed rates. Instead, many who are trapped with them are on variables with rates as high as 10pc.

Mr Troy asked his party colleague “if he will review the threat of vulture funds given their resistance to dealing with the original borrowers in a fair manner”.

Mr Troy’s Dáil question called on the minister to introduce an independent intermediary, who will be aware of what the vulture fund paid for the loan, in order to adjudicate what is a fair and reasonable write-down offer.

 

[CorkHome2022]

Finance Minister Jack Chambers is urged to introduce rules to manage vulture funds

Finance Minister Jack Chambers has been called on to introduce rules to stop vulture funds acting in what has been described as an unfair manner with mortgage holders who are trapped with them.

www.independent.ie

I am glad to see someone taking on the issue, but he doesn't really understand it.

He claimed funds won’t offer proper write-downs and instead are only offering token write-offs of debt for those unable to meet their repayments.


Vulture funds do not offer fixed rates. Instead, many who are trapped with them are on variables with rates as high as 10pc.

Mr Troy asked his party colleague “if he will review the threat of vulture funds given their resistance to dealing with the original borrowers in a fair manner”.

Mr Troy’s Dáil question called on the minister to introduce an independent intermediary, who will be aware of what the vulture fund paid for the loan, in order to adjudicate what is a fair and reasonable write-down offer.

Agreed re not understanding the problem , some people seem to think that the borrower is entitled to a write down because the mortgage was sold at a discount but thats just not the case.
Your original debt still stands as per your contract but the issue is the Vultures going above and beyond your terms when they charge much different rates than the original bank did , however if somebody cares to look at the minute details of their mortgage conditions it will have a clause to cover setting of interest rate if sold to a third party .
Until such time that a court rules on this there is nothing to be done , hence I suspect why the powers that should be doing something are very slow to act.

 

[ClubMan]

but the issue is the Vultures going above and beyond your terms when they charge much different rates than the original bank did

Unfortunately they're not. Most or all non-tracker variable rate mortgage contracts give the lender free rein to charge what they like. As I mentioned before, several years ago I helped somebody to take a case to the FSPO against BOI on this issue on the basis that the contract breached the relevant EU unfair contract legislation but they rejected it. Of course maybe a different ombudsman might rule differently given that FSPO decisions seem to depend so much on the individual in charge at any point in time.

however if somebody cares to look at the minute details of their mortgage conditions it will have a clause to cover setting of interest rate if sold to a third party .

Are you sure about that? Not in my experience. Maybe you can cite an example contract wording?

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Most or all non-tracker variable rate mortgage contracts give the borrower free rein to charge what they like.

That would be brilliant. But it's the lender who has free rein.

However, the ptsb contracts and switches to variable rate documentation which relates the rate charged to the ptsb rate and I think it's arguable that the vultures should offer the rates on offer to ptsb customers.

But the overriding issue here is one of fairness. In my opinion, it is not fair, that a customer who stays with ptsb is paying 4% but one whose mortgage is sold is paying 9%.

But I don't know if anyone is challenging this with the Ombudsman or the High Court.

The Central Bank and the Oireachtas should deal with it, but they have both washed their hands of it.

Brendan

 

[ClubMan]

That would be brilliant. But it's the lender who has free rein.

It was obviously a typo which I have fixed.

However, the ptsb contracts and switches to variable rate documentation which relates the rate charged to the ptsb rate and I think it's arguable that the vultures should offer the rates on offer to ptsb customers.

Good luck arguing that with the FSPO or other powers that be. Maybe the current FSPO will take a different view to the one who was in post back c. 2015.

But the overriding issue here is one of fairness. In my opinion, it is not fair, that a customer who stays with ptsb is paying 4% but one whose mortgage is sold is paying 9%.

Some people think it's unfair that they don't get a write down because the vulture fund bought the mortgage at a discount. Fairness is subjective.

 

[MrEarl]

Hello,

Is this not just another publicity stunt, from a politican who will be looking to get re-elected soon?