The local MSP, who brought the Mortgage Rights Act through the Scottish Parliament as a private member's bill, is arguing for action after the Scottish courts saw the number of repossessions double this year. In the last three months alone, repossession cases in Glasgow Sheriff Court have risen from 472 to 598.

The UK Government has now issued new guidance to both the courts and the Financial Services Authority will make lenders have to demonstrate to the courts prior to the trial that they have exhausted every possible avenue before resorting to repossession. Although there is new evidence from the FSA that lenders across the country are becoming more aggressive in pursuing repossession policies, the same guidance will not apply to Scottish homeowners as pre-trial protocols do not exist.

Cathie Craigie MSP said:

"Although the Mortgage Rights Act allows owners to challenge a lender repossessing their home, to ask for more time to pay or to look at alternatives to repossession, it doesn't offer the protection of repossession only as a last resort."

"The sheer number of repossessions we're seeing in Scotland demands more action from the SNP Government to make sure Scottish homeowners are not at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the UK."

"While the UK Government has imposed a duty on the courts to seek alternatives to repossession in England and Wales, court procedures in Scotland rely on lawyers asking the court to look for alternatives."

"Introducing pre-trial protocols for those in mortgage arrears will instead ensure that court action is only taken as a last resort."

"In these difficult economic times I believe it is the Scottish Government's duty to protect vulnerable homeowners, which is why I am calling on them to explore every possible alternative to avoid repossessions."