Council mortgage holders twice as likely to be in arrears than others

HOMEOWNERS who received a mortgage from their local council to buy their home are twice as likely to be in arrears than other mortgage holders.

More than one-in-seven such homeowners is in arrears, figures show. These include former local authority tenants who bought their homes under tenant purchase schemes and other homeowners who bought private homes under affordable housing schemes.

Figures from the Local Government Management Services Board show that mortgage arrears in this sector stood at 15.08% at the end of 2009 — the most recent figures available. It is likely figures have increased significantly since.