mortgage problems increase shelter’s demand

Shelter England received eight times as many requests for advice about mortgage problems in 2007 than 2006, it says. The housing charity took more than 80,000 calls from homeowners concerned about falling behind with payments.

It wants mortgage lenders and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to set up a free dedicated advice line.

The figures were published after the FSA warned a million borrowers could struggle to repay their home loans during 2008.