Is it easy to lose my home?published at 11:59 GMT

11:59 GMT

Kevin Peachey
Cost of living correspondent

Getting to the stage of your home being repossessed means huge financial and emotional stress.

That is why it should always be a last resort for lenders - something that the courts will insist upon, and which means cases remain relatively rare.

It also takes a long time. The process of repossession can take about two years.

Everyone from lenders to debt charities says that before and during that process, every effort should be made to deal with the financial situation before someone becomes homeless.

Jonathan Fagg
BBC England Data Unit

County court bailiffs can also repossess properties from people renting properties.

As the chart shows, the number has been rising recently following a pandemic dip.

There have been 7,641 landlord repossessions between July and September across England and Wales, according to the Ministry of Justice's provisional figures.

That’s the most for a three-month period since January to March 2019, when there were 8,369.

For repossessions by private landlords, London's local authority areas have some of the highest rates.

If you look at the top five areas from July to September, four of them are in the capital.

Newham is top, with 304 private landlord repossessions per 100,000 people, followed by 266 in Redbridge, and 235 in Barking and Dagenham.

At the other end of the table, 39 local authorities had no landlord repossessions in the last three months of data.

Phil Shepka
Reporting from Peterborough Crown and County Court

Today’s hearings highlight just how people can end up in court.

There has just been the case of a 75-year-old man living in social housing in Peterborough, who the court heard had been the victim of a scam.

He has ended up in nearly £3,000 worth of arrears, but - with the help of the duty housing adviser - he has come to an agreement with his provider.

The man told me afterwards the scammer “took a lot of money out of me”, but he was pleased with the outcome today.

Jessica Ure
Reporting from Wandsworth County Court

A claim for possession launched against a private tenant has just been struck out of court, as the judge deemed the tenancy could not be ended under Section 21 of the Housing Act, external.

The homeowner had bought the property with the tenant in situ, with him living there since the 1990s, and a tenancy agreement thought to have been in place since 1997.

"The rent has been paid like clockwork," admits the representative of the owner in court, but says the owner has now experienced financial hardship and the rent needed to be put up.

Mediation had broken down between both parties, with offers of a sale to the tenant allegedly being a "non-starter".

Outside the courtroom the representative for the owner asks the tenant to consider a counter offer for rental increase, saying even though possession could not be taken under Section 21 today, they would be forced to pursue it in other ways.

Stephen Menon
Reporting from Croydon County and Family Court

In stark contrast to when I arrived, there is now more people waiting for their time in court than chairs available.

There are groups of people spread throughout the room, heads bowed together, having hushed discussions.

In one corner, a quiet, intense argument rumbles along.

In another is an older gentleman, legs crossed staring into the distance, his mind seemingly a million miles from here.

There is laughter as colleagues and lawyers spot one another and update each other on their lives in snatched moments in between cases, and across one wall a line of people are waiting quietly for the free duty solicitor.

The whole room feels alive.

Stephen Menon
Reporting from Croydon County and Family Court

Here at Croydon County Court Hajra Jafri, who my colleagues spoke to as part of the BBC investigation, has managed to prevent a woman from being evicted from her home.

Despite there being a mandatory ground for eviction, a defect in the paperwork submitted led to an intense discussion over what happens next.

The claimants seemed sympathetic, hinting that even if they had received a ruling in favour they might not have pushed for the 14-day eviction notice.

However, this does not mean the defendant, who we will not be naming, is clear and free. A payment plan must be set up, and the existing debts must be cleared.

If nothing changes, the tenant will be back in court, facing this day all over again.

Matt Precey
Reporting from Norwich County Court

The first case before Judge Tim Earl at Norwich County Court is a single mother who owes her landlady £5,200 in unpaid rent.

The defendant explains via telephone that she had a guarantor who was due to cover the arrears, but a business loan he was applying for had not come through.

She agrees to the landlady's possession claim and hopes her guarantor will settle the arrears in January.

"I have got a hell of a lot on my plate," she tells the judge.

She is now in temporary accommodation, but is in the process of moving her belongings out of the property.

The judge sets a deadline of 27 November to vacate the property. Each day she remains in the property after that date, she will incur a daily occupancy charge of £42.

Jessica Ure
Reporting from Wandsworth County Court

In an unassuming building opposite East Putney Tube station sits Wandsworth County Court.

The concrete façade matches an overcast sky.

The court reception is warm. Security guards check bags and wave detection wands across coats.

Inside, I'm greeted by a friendly courtroom usher. He tells me today's order of business is mostly rental repossession cases.

For now, I am the only person here for those hearings, with defendants and legal representatives expected to arrive shortly.

I'll be bringing you updates from the courtroom throughout the day.

Jon Ironmonger
Reporting from Northampton County Court

It promises to be a busy afternoon in the small chamber at Northampton County Court, which hears repossession claims from 14:00 GMT.

The first five hearings are for mortgages, with each scheduled to last five minutes - that's all it takes to decide the fate of what are usually people's biggest assets.

After that, District Judge Allan Pickup will hear six private rent possession claims.

Phil Shepka
Reporting from Peterborough Crown and County Court

Situated right next to Peterborough's historic Grade II listed lido stands the combined Peterborough Crown and County Court.

Today's repossession list is full of rental possession hearings, related to both private and social housing.

Driving here was more difficult than normal, and I am hearing whispers that people due in court have been caught up in the same traffic I was.

But the room is busy, full of people sat waiting or they are on laptops, ready for their case to be called on. Others head in to see the housing advisor before their hearing starts.

This is a day when major life decisions can be made.

Jessica Ure
Reporting from Wandsworth County Court

Half an hour after its scheduled start time, the first repossession hearing of the day is yet to begin here in Wandsworth.

The usher tells me severe transport delays around Putney have held people up.

It remains unclear whether defendants who arrive late will still get their day in court.

If you have been affected by this story or would like support then you can find organisations which offer help and information at the BBC Action Line.

Gabriela Pomeroy
Reporting from Stratford Magistrates' Court

In a fluorescent-lit waiting room at the housing court in Stratford Magistrates' Court in east London, I've been speaking to a woman who tells me she has been called in today to learn whether the three-bedroom house she owns with her ex-partner is going to be repossessed.

The woman, who we are not naming like others we are meeting today, says she "got a letter telling me to come today".

She says she has not lived in the house for many years and has been living in a homeless hostel for several months.

She lost her job as a shop assistant several years ago and she has a disability, she says. Her situation is complicated.

"I've never been to court in my life," she tells me. "I don’t know how this works. I'm scared."

Stephen Menon
Reporting from Croydon County and Family Court

Tucked just around the corner from East Croydon train station, Croydon County and Family Court strikes an imposing figure among the flurries of snow and rain.

After a brief security search at the door and a quick climb to the second floor, I'm in the waiting area for the court.

The ushers are bright and friendly, checking in legal representatives and members of the public alike, as more and more people file into the waiting room.

Today is another busy day, with more than 30 rent possession cases to be heard by the deputy district judge.

The waiting area for the court is quiet, for now. I'll be updating you as it gets busier throughout the day.

Charlotte Rose
Reporting from Stratford Magistrates' Court

Stratford Housing Centre is one of the few dedicated courts in the country that hears only housing related cases.

Tucked right at the back of Stratford Magistrates' Court, an impressive art deco building in east London, the busy waiting room could be mistaken for a dentist or GP surgery.

This morning there are four mortgage repossession cases listed to be heard by Judge Lightman, and this afternoon five rental repossession cases.

I will be bringing you updates from here throughout the day.

Matt Precey
Reporting from Norwich County Court

Nine possession cases are before Judge Tim Earl at Norwich County Court today.

Two relate to mortgage claims and the rest are for rent.

The applicants are a combination of housing associations, private landlords and mortgage companies.

Proceedings start at 10:00 GMT.

There are two main types in the county courts: mortgage repossessions and rental repossessions.

The first is when homeowners have fallen behind on their mortgage repayments and the bank is seeking remedy by taking ownership of the property.

Rental repossessions are when landlords apply to the court to evict tenants and take back their property.

Laurence Cawley
BBC News

As we mentioned in an earlier post, we spoke to Jose who had his Norfolk home repossessed.

After this happened, Jose was given emergency accommodation in a small ground-floor studio in north Suffolk.

"I left my house with one suitcase and a bag of essentials and told the council 'I'm homeless'," he said.

"It's a roof over my head. I'm trying to keep things simple because what is the point of complicating things?

"I'm alive and I carry on."

In the same month he handed over his keys to the bailiffs, the BBC saw a similar three-bedroom property in the same Thetford street as Mr Da Costa Diogo's on the market for £160,000 - almost double the amount he owed.

We're sending our reporters to these courts:

Northampton: Jon Ironmonger

Peterborough: Phil Shepka

Norwich: Matt Precey

London Stratford Housing Centre: Charlotte Rose and Gabriela Pomeroy

Wandsworth: Jessica Ure

Croydon: Stephen Menon

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