hi everyone ............ i am writing after reading some of forums and seeing the excellent advice offered i have tried some of the normal advice streams credit councelling and CAB etc they are ok in that they give you the leaflets and standard replies but this doesn't help ok i will try to explain my problem best i can i am self employed in january 2010 i lost my main contract this made things difficult and income fell significantly. i had outstanding income and some savings i manged to keep up some work which gave a small income bearly enough to live day to day let alone survive and pay bills. . i managed to keep going although had numerous arrears building up on utility bills etc, i muddled through paying who shouted loudest or threatened action until may 2011 then i just had to little income and missed a mortgage payment ( having maintained them until this time) . in may and june 2011 i made no payment at all in early july 2011 i made a minimal payment of £160 to keep me below one months in arrears while i discussed way forward with mortgage company. . i agreed during this time to pay the interest only portion of payment. which i did for july and august 2011 in september a period of 6 months interest only was agreed plus £30 per month towards arrears this agreement i kept to until february 2012. . i then recieved notification that full payments were to resume from march payment date 2012. i phoned straight away to tell them i could not afford to pay the full payments they said i would have to fill out an income expenditure form and send it to them. this i did and made the same payment for march as i had for previous months the interest payment plus £30. . in march 2012 i recieved telephone call telling me that my income expenditure showed i could not afford the payments and that i would have to complete a new income expenditure over the telephone and an appointment for this was made, i was told that they would possibly consider extending the term of the mortgage for more years thus lowering the payments due. i asked what this reduced payment would be and was told that they would not tell me until after it was agreed. . i completed the telephone income expenditure call and then a few days later recieved a call telling me that a copy of my utility bills and bank statement would be needed in order to present all my details for a decision. i was also advised that i should stop all payments to non secured in order to increase amount available for mortgage. this i did i wrote to all other credtors and explained and offered minimal monthly payment and they all reluctantly agreed. . i worked out (with help of online calculator) what the payment would be if the term was extended and arrears were capitalised i increased monthly payment in april 2012 to what this payment would be this increased payment has been paid for may 2012 as well. . in april i recieved phone call telling me that my income and expenditure showed insufficent funds to finance an extended term. i explained that i had revised payments being made to non secured debts thus increasing funds that could and would be used to pay mortgage. after a somewhat stressful and heated call i was getting nowhere and seemed to be getting a brick wall response if you fail to maintain full payments the society will be forced to take further action. when asked what action reply was your home is at risk if you fail to keep up payments on it . again brick wall response hardly helpful. . so i ended call and straight away wrote to them asking that they consider extending the term and adding the arrears to capital sum owed. i recieved a telephone call asking me to provide income expenditure to show how i could meet payments, which i provided this was updated to show that i had reduced payments to all unsecured debts to a minimum i had cancelled sky tv and all non esential out goings it also showed a that i coud make the payments within my means if they extended term and capitalised arrears. . i recieved a phone call again brick wall type call not helpful and basically saying you application to have term extended has been declined and you have to make full payments and an arrangement to clear arrears ........ derr !! you have income expenditure i cant make the payments. then it will be passed to out legal department for action. came reply. i was again getting heated and stressed so ended call but asked for confirmation in writing. . i recieved letter dated 22 may 2012 saying as we discussed the society is unable to offer assitance regarding extending the term of your mortgage. the information you provided in the financial statement deems your mortgage payment unaffordable for you at this time. the society has reviewed both your income and expenditure currently this shows a deficit... when reviewing extending the term we work out future payments at your current interest rate and an increased interest rate to allow us to take account of potential increases and your abilty to pay. we suggest you seek independant advice etc etc. any further question please contact me on telephone number above .. . this is last contact i have made but have made payments as i estimated they would be on extended term and will continue to make them. . ok some details on mortgage . mortgage balance £48,200 . property value £110,000 . term of mortgage 15 years with 7 years 6 months remaing current arrears £2052.71 current expected payment monthly £644.27 crrent payment being made £375.00 Thank You for taking time to read and hopefully someone has some words of wisdom