However, I don't believe that people who give up their family homes where the mortgage is clearly unsustainable should be chased for the next 30 years with a large debt hanging over them. If they co-operate, place all their cards on the table in terms of other assets, surrender the asset(s) as mentioned above...they should be more than entitled to start afresh after a period of time
or a slight variation - people have lived rent free for two years during the process of repossession.People with unsustainable debts are between a rock and a hard place their choice is give up your home and still owe the same money or fight to keep your home so at least you are left with something
@shigllgetcha, The option of giving up your house and walking away debt free is available. Its called bankruptcy................
Whereas if giving up your home meant you were released from the debt after a reasonable amount of time atleast you can move on with your life even if you had to rent for the rest of your life.
Clubman and shigllgetcha, please do not dampen down the righteous hysterics.
People should be allowed stay in their homes, or indeed retain their investment properties, forever without making any repayments. It's only fair.
I was the last of the fools who continued to pay interest only.
Yes there should be closure if you give up the asset and cannot afford to pay the debt. Another solution which is a good one, particularly for family homes is that the bank instead of repossessing, writes down part of the debt to a level a family can manage and indeed AIB are apparently finally doing this. It's a win win for everybody. Family stays in home, they become a performing creditor, AIB writes off part of the debt, helping their books and they don't incur the costs of court, agents fees and various other costs which can be quite a percentage of the debt.
Bronte, would you agree that if there is a write down of the debt on the family home that they should be unable to sell it for say ten years and when sold after that date there should be a lien on the house to pay off the full debt?