Brendan Burgess: Mortgage holders also deserve protecting against sharp practices

Just like landlords, banks and vulture funds need to be reined in

If a tenant cannot afford their rent, the State can step in with assistance, but if a homeowner hits a bad patch, they are very much on their own. File picture: Colin Keegan

Interest rates have risen steeply and customers of the vulture funds, in particular, have seen their repayment costs rise sharply. Meanwhile, Central Bank figures show that new early arrears cases had already started to rise. 

The regulator is not inclined to do much about high interest rates because the policy of the European Central Bank is to fight inflation.