Repaying your shortfall debt
Shortfall debt is money that you still owe on your mortgage when the sales proceeds from the property are not enough to clear the outstanding balance.
This can happen following repossession or where you have voluntarily surrendered your property, if it was then sold on your behalf for less than the outstanding mortgage balance. It can also happen where you sell the property but the sale price you achieve is less than you needed to repay the outstanding balance that you owe.
If you have a shortfall debt, we’ll try to work with you to recover the amount you owe. In some cases, we may agree a payment plan with you so you can pay off the shortfall debt over time.
Talk to us about your situation
To discuss ways of repaying your outstanding shortfall debt, review an existing payment plan or to ask us any other questions please call us.
Our agents have a lot of experience in supporting customers with shortfall debt. During your call, they’ll consider your circumstances to look at different ways we may be able to help you.
If you’re struggling to pay back your shortfall debt, please call us. Simply talking to us won’t affect your credit file – and the sooner you get in touch the better, as there may be more options open to you.
If you’d prefer to write to us, please use the following address:
Hyalite Mortgages
PO Box 141
Skipton
BD23 9GG
Please quote your account number in any letters you send us – and remember to include your return address or phone number so we can respond to you.
Tell us about your income and expenditure
To ensure we understand your circumstances, we’ll need an accurate picture of your current monthly income and expenditure. This includes details of any income and benefits that you receive, payments that you need to make, regular outgoings and other costs.
You can share your income and expenditure details with us at any time using our online affordability tool. This secure system is called Embark – and is managed on our behalf by our trusted partner Paylink Solutions.
After creating your own account, you add details of your income and outgoings to build up an accurate picture of your budget. This can take time, so you can save your details at any point, then login again when you’re ready. When you’ve entered all your details, your information will be shared securely with us. Our agents will then be in contact with you to review your situation and discuss how we can help.
If you can’t use our online affordability tool, or you’d rather tell us your income and expenditure details directly, please have this information to hand when you call us.
Contacting you
If you have shortfall debt, depending on your situation, we may send letters, call you or send text messages. To do this, we’ll use the contact details that are listed on your account. So if your correspondence address or phone number changes, please let us know.
If you don’t respond to our letters, calls or texts, and you don’t get in touch with us directly, we won’t be able to speak with you about your situation and may need to take further action.
Free, confidential and impartial advice
Please see the details below of some that can help you find free, confidential and impartial advice which may be useful for you.
PayPlan
PayPlan can help if you’re struggling with multiple debts. They provide 100% free, confidential debt advice and support either online or over the phone.
One of their specialists will look at your monthly income and outgoings and who you owe money to. They’ll work out what you can afford and what options are available to help you feel more in control of your finances.
Visit their website to take the first steps toward getting a personalised action plan for your money.
MoneyHelper
MoneyHelper (formerly the Money Advice Service) provide free, clear and unbiased advice to help you make the most of your money. Call them on 0800 138 7777.
Alternatively, you can visit the MoneyHelper website which provides alternative contact methods including webchat.
You can also find out what services are available across the UK, including what face to face support is available in your local area using the Debt Advice Locator.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice offer free, confidential and impartial advice on legal, money and other problems.
Citizens Advice also provide the opportunity for face to face advice through their local advice centres.
For online information or to find your local advice centre visit their website and select England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland from the options presented.
StepChange Debt Charity
StepChange is a registered charity offering free, confidential advice and support to anyone who is worried about debt. Its online debt counselling tool provides you with advice tailored to your individual circumstances.
If you feel that you need some expert guidance, you can contact StepChange on 0800 138 1111. Its website also allows you to contact them by e-mail and an option to receive debt advice online.
All advice and recommendations are backed by 15 years’ experience and knowledge gained by StepChange counsellors. You don’t have to give your name and the StepChange service is totally free.
If you are experiencing severe financial difficulties and you owe money to several creditors, then StepChange may be able to assist and advise you. StepChange has also published a reduced income guide to help people with a reduced income deal with their finances. We recommend you read this and take any action you need to sooner rather than later.
National Debtline
National Debtline is a debt advice charity run by the Money Advice Trust.
They offer a free and confidential debt advice service for people in England, Wales and Scotland – and have helped millions to deal with their debts.
You can call them, use webchat or their Digital Advice Tool to get free advice. Visit their website for more information.
Business Debtline
Business Debtline offers free, confidential and independent advice for self-employed people and small businesses in England, Wales and Scotland.
Visit their website or call them on 0800 197 6026.
Breathing Space is a government scheme that allows applicants time to receive advice about their debts (including mortgage arrears) and find a solution to their debt problems.
In a Breathing Space most creditors will freeze interest and stop all collection and enforcement action for a period of 60 days. However, the scheme is not available to everyone – customers can only apply for Breathing Space through a debt adviser.
For more information about the scheme, please follow one of the links below to a free and independent advice agency:
Shelter
Shelter can offer you free, impartial and confidential advice through a dedicated homeowner helpline on 0300 3300 515.
For more general housing advice, call Shelter’s free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444; or you can find details of your local advice centre via their website.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice offer free, confidential and impartial advice on legal, money and other problems.
Citizens Advice also provide the opportunity for face to face advice through their local advice centres.
For online information or to find your local advice centre visit their website and select England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland from the options presented.
If your financial difficulties are the result of losing your job or being made redundant, there are many organisations that can help you to be in the best possible position when looking for a new job.
Additionally, the Government set up a Find a Job service to help people to search and apply for jobs. Their website also provides links to related pages for out of work benefits.
Millions of pounds worth of benefits go unclaimed every year, so make sure you are receiving what you are entitled to. Benefits can be claimed for several reasons for example:
- sickness or disability
- unemployment
- caring for someone
- being aged 60 or over
- after a bereavement
- pregnancy or if you’ve recently had a baby
- if you’re a family with dependent children.
A quick and easy way to find out what you can claim can be found at:
Gov.uk – All public services in one place including information on benefits.
Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) – UK Government department responsible for welfare and employment issues.
Entitled To – Use this website to find out what benefits you may be able to claim.
Please note, this page contains links to external websites. We are not responsible for the content of external websites.