Almost 100,000 of the country's mortgages are in arrears, new data from the Central Bank showed today.
The number of mortgage holders voluntarily giving up properties to the banks has remained steady, while an increasing number of mortgages were restructured during the third quarter of the year.
The Irish Times reports that about 8.1% of home loans have fallen behind by 90 days or more, compared with 7.2% at the end of June. The figures also showed that almost 70,000 residential mortgage accounts have been restructured, compared with 66,732 at the end of June 2011. More than 36,300 are keeping up with the restructured arrangements, but 33,359 are subject to some form of arrears.
Banks repossessed 162 properties during the quarter, the majority of which – 119 – were voluntarily surrendered or abandoned. The remaining 43 were repossessed by way of court orders.
Lenders disposed of 87 properties during the period, up from 56 in the second quarter.
Director of Consumer Protection at the Central Bank Bernard Sheridan said it was important for consumers struggling with mortgage repayments to get in touch with their lender as soon as possible.
The Central Bank said the number of mortgages also continued to fall in the three months to the end of September, with 773,420 private residential mortgage accounts held in the State at the end of September, totalling €114.4 billion. That compares with 794,609 held at the end of September 2009.
