Reposession hearing - can I ask for costs?

SivEd

Hi there,

My mortgage company are trying to repossess - for the fourth time!

Long story short, I have had a bad couple of years with two redundancies and a dodgy employer not paying me. But am in good full-time employment now.

I've done a budget and everything is fine going forward and I've spoken to National Debtline (highly recommended!) about filling in the N244 form to go to court. It feels like I am actually an old hand at this now!

I have my N244 form in front of me now, but before I take it in to court, I thought I'd ask people here a couple of questions.

As I said, this is the fourth time my mortgage company have done this, this time (as with two of the previous times) I have had a change of circumstances which really make this all unnecessary as I am in full time work and can make payments. But calling the mortgage company to give them the good news hasn't stopped them from taking legal action.

They will - win or loose - put the cost of this action on my mortgage.

From everything I've been told there should be no problems at court and I should keep the house. It will be a waste of time to all concerned.

I want to discourage the building society from doing this over and over. It is no skin off their nose to just take me to court. I get to pay for all of it!

I would like to claim costs. First question: can I?

If so, what can I claim for? I have specific ideas.

Can I claim for my time/costs of submitting forms/petrol etc?

Can I claim for the charges they are going to put on my mortgage (solicitors costs and the guy they sent round uninvited). This is a genuine cost to me, surely I can claim for it.

Can I claim for the interest they will charge me on those costs? It is added to my mortgage!

A suggestion from National Debtline is that I could ask for an interest freeze on the arrears while I repay them. Is that feasible?

Is any of this put on an N244 form, I don't think so, but want to check before I take it in...

I really want to discourage them from taking me to court and to have them accept that I am in new employment and come to an arrangement which the courts will accept and enforce, rather than making me go through the stress and expense of a court date.

Any suggestions as to charges I could put on would be welcome.

Thanks