Law Centre helps Buddies hang on to their homes
13th April 2009
Lynn Jolly
Renfrewshire Law Centre is in the frontline of helping Buddies facing repossessions hold on to their homes.
Jon Kiddie and his colleagues are inundated with tough repossession cases.
I want more help for those facing repossession. Many legal firms refuse to take on repossession cases and the Law Centre steps in to ensure Buddies are represented in court to help them hold on to their homes.
I questioned the Justice Minister, Kenny McAskill, in Parliament on the case for more help for Law Centres such as Paisley which protect people from the worst consequences of the credit crunch.
In his response the Minister indicated in the Chamber he would in principle be willing to meet with Scotland’s law centres to discuss the issue of mortgage repossession cases.
Along with my colleague Hugh Henry, MSP for Paisley South, I went to visit Renfrewshire Law Centre recently to hear more about their valuable work.
In 2008 there were 1,200 eviction cases raised at Paisley Sheriff Court – this year they expect a significant rise in repossession cases.
Increasingly the Law Centre is dealing with tenants facing eviction because their private landlord has defaulted on their mortgage.
These vulnerable tenants need better legal protection – and Paisley Law centre does all it can assist.
I will be pursuing with Ministers: Who are the lenders? Who are putting borrowers under most pressure when they get into difficulties?