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The number of homes repossessed in the first three months of the year jumped by more than 50 per cent, new figures published today show.

Some 12,800 homeowners were evicted by their lender between January and March after falling behind with mortgage payments, up 50 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2008. Repossesions rose by 23 per cent from 10,400 repossessions in the final three months of last year.

Lenders repossessed some 40,000 homes last year, the highest number in 12 years. But the CML said that based on today's figures, its forecast that repossessions could surge to 75,000 this year now looked "pessimistic" and said it would revise down the figure in the coming months.

The CML said that Government efforts to reduce repossessions by expanding homeowners support schemes and requiring lenders to prove that they have examined all possible alternatives had had some effect.

Separate figures from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), also published today, show that the number of mortgage possession claims lodged at the courts by lenders dropped by 42 per cent to 22,609 in the first quarter compared to the same period last year.

The number of mortgage possession orders granted also dropped by 43 per cent to 17,054, suggesting that repossessions could slow during the year. But the MOJ warned that "the extent to which the [new rules] have resulted in the issue of claims being delayed rather than abandoned is unclear."

More than one in fifty mortgage borrowers have missed three or more monthly payments, the CML said. And the number of homeowners in arrears of more than 2.5 per cent of their mortgage balance rose by 12 per cent from 182,600 in the fourth quarter of 2008 to 205,300 in the first three months of this year.

Citizen's Advice says it saw a near 50 per cent increase in enquiries from homeowners who had fallen into mortgage arrears last year.

Sam Younger, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said: “These figures paint a very depressing picture of thousands of homeowners across the country struggling to keep up with their mortgage repayments, with many more losing the roof over their head."

Today’s figures from the CML also include buy-to-let properties, but do not include repossession actions taken by second-charge or other lenders who have extended a loan to the borrower secured on their property.

Debt and housing charities are still concerned that many second-charge and sub-prime lenders are still failing to take enough action to stave off repossession.

Steve Johnston, chief executive of AdviceUK, the directory of advice agencies, said: "It is clear from our research that some lenders could do a lot more to help borrowers remain in their homes."

The lack of mortgage finance has taken a heavy toll on landlords, with buy-to-let lending falling by nearly 70 per cent in the first quarter. The number of mortgages advanced to investment landlords fell for the sixth quarter in a row to 22,400 during the three months to the end of March, the CML said.

Separate figures from the Ministry of Justice showed that the number of people seeking bankruptcy soared by nearly a third in the first three months of the year compared to the first quarter of last year. The number of companies seeking to liquidate also jumped by 13 per cent.

Money Central: the 10 most expensive repossessions

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