Head-in-sand approach not helpful, says Which?

Following the announcement by the Council of Mortgage Lenders that repossessions are at an eight year high, Phillip Inman, author of Manage Your Debt, a Which? essential guide, gives the following advice: "If you have fallen behind with your mortgage payments you must contact your lender as soon as you can - a head-in-the-sand attitude will only make things worse.

" Despite lenders becoming increasingly reluctant to push for a repossession, these new figures show that they are happening at an alarming rate."

If you are struggling to make the repayments on your home you could consider one of the following options:

Increase your income by letting out a room
Reduce mortgage payments for a fixed period by extending the time over which the mortgage is paid
Re-mortgage to get a cheaper deal
Suspend an endowment used to pay for some or all of the property - but take financial advice if you are considering this option