New Mortgage Arrears Helpline 0761 07 4050

[Brendan Burgess]

The Minister for Social Welfare Joan Burton launched this today.

...to provide information and signposting in relation to the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears and the supports available for those in mortgage arrears or pre-arrears.

The Helpline is being provided for callers with mortgages on residential property only. The particular target group for this initiative is those who have not so far taken any action to address their difficulties, for example, approaching the lender.


The Helpline is being promoted in conjunction with the keepingyourhome.ie website.


The Helpline will offer independent, confidential and high-quality information to borrowers in mortgage arrears or at pre-arrears stage.


The Mortgage Arrears Information Helpline: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5pm

It will be staffed by 5 people and one supervisor. The 5 staff have been transferred within the public service and the supervisor works for the CIB.

 

[Brendan Burgess]

This should be a useful service and I would expect the quality to be good as it's run by CIB who are a professional outfit.

However, it's a long way away from the 100 mortgage advisors recommended by the Keane Group.

This is for information and signposting only. They won't advise and they won't go along to the meetings with you.

 

[g05l]

there is some strange article about it in independent:


htt p://ww w.independent.i e/business/irish/new-mortgage-advice-scheme-for-troubled-homeowners-dismissed-as-pointless-3222038.html

''Consumer advocate, who is an accountant, said today that the new scheme was pointless as accountants were not familiar with consumer debt and most of them did not understand mortgages.''

you may need to clarify this with them (if you think it's necessary)

 

[wbbs]

The accountant scheme is different, that is a paid for by the bank appointment with an accountant to go over an offer made by the bank of some sort of reschedule of debt. The helpline is run by Citizens Information Service.

 

[Brendan Burgess]

As wbbs said, there are two different schemes.

I think that the helpline is a good idea.

I think that the accountant scheme is a waste of good money and it should have been given to MABS instead to provide the service.