06 August 2009
Foster family home saved from repossession
Two Droitwich-based foster parents-to-be have been saved from the trauma of having their home repossessed thanks to affordable housing provider West Mercia Housing Group.
Trevor and Kerrie Brown, of Meadow Road, Droitwich, were just days away from having their home repossessed in court, when housing association staff stepped in to offer the mortgage rescue scheme as a lifeline. The couple is the second family to benefit from the scheme in Worcestershire.
Under the government scheme, the association was able to access part funding to help purchase the house – and pay off the mortgage – enabling the couple and their eldest daughter, Sian, 18, to remain in their home as tenants.
The couple got into financial difficulty when Trevor, 43, a lorry driver, was laid off last September because work had dried up. After paying their mortgage, the family only had around £45 left to live on per week, most of which was spent on bills.
Kerrie, 45, said: “Our family and friends helped us out with food a lot, but every day we woke up with the fear of becoming homeless. When I heard we had to go to court I was petrified.
“I found out about the scheme through the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, who referred me to Wychavon District Council to have my needs assessed. My case was then passed on to West Mercia Housing Group. After the staff valued our house and I found out we were eligible for the scheme I was ecstatic; it felt like we had been pulled out of a black hole.
“Now things are on the up. We’ve always wanted to help children who don’t have a home and we’ve been working towards becoming foster parents for two years.
“We’re back on track to finalise our training and start fostering when Sian goes to university in September. I’m so glad our hard work hasn’t been wasted.
“I would encourage anyone who is facing repossession to see if they are eligible for the scheme. I’m just so grateful to everyone that helped us and I can’t praise them enough. Without the scheme, who knows where we would have ended up?”
Dawn Merriman, home ownership advisor at West Mercia Housing Group, added: “The purpose of this scheme is to prevent the most vulnerable home-owners from losing their home. Anyone who is experiencing difficulty meeting their mortgage repayments should first speak to their lender.
“They should not ignore the letters and telephone calls. The lender must treat you fairly and consider what they can do to prevent the loss of your home. The local Citizens Advice Bureau can offer some guidance and in some cases negotiate with your lender on your behalf.
“We’re delighted to have been able to help Mr and Mrs Brown to keep their home and get back on their feet financially. We hope that we can provide this vital support to families in need in the future.”
The mortgage rescue scheme is backed with £285 million of government funding, which is intended to help 6,000 households over two years. West Mercia Housing
Group is administering the mortgage rescue scheme in partnership with the six local councils within the Worcestershire area.
If you are interested in the mortgage rescue scheme, please contact the Housing Options Team at your local council to find out if you are eligible.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
West Mercia Housing Group, based in Bromsgrove, manages approximately 23,500 homes across the West Midlands, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
, based in Bromsgrove, manages approximately 23,500 homes across the West Midlands, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The group is structured to facilitate local accountability and the provision of high quality local services.
Founded in 1998, the group consists of Whitefriars Housing Group, Harden Housing Association, Nexus Housing, Kemble Housing and Herefordshire Supported Housing for Young People Project (SHYPP).
West Mercia Housing Group is a development partner with the Homes and Communities Agency. It is the lead member of the Spectrum Development Partnership that consists of Advance Housing Association, Bromsgrove District Housing Trust, Central Borders Housing Group, Heantun Housing Association, Herefordshire Housing, Nehemiah UCHA, Stafford and Rural Homes, Severnside Housing and Solihull Community Housing.
For further information please contact Val Hunt or Nikki Cheung, at The Bridge Group, on 024 7656 0440, or v.hunt@bridge-group.co.uk