SINCE IT WAS established in June 2012, a website with advice on how to protect residential properties from mortgage arrears has been visited almost a quarter of a million times.

KeepingYourHome.ie was set up to help those who are worried about mortgage and rent payments, as well as those who are already in arrears. It is a service provided by the Citizens Information Board and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS).

Since the beginning of this year, some 37,514 visits have been made to the site.

That includes over 3,000 over just four days at the beginning of April.

Between January and 4 April this year, there have also been over 2,000 phone calls to the MABS helpline.

The Central Bank collates the information about borrowers who have availed of independent financial advice and it was published in a parliamentary question response by Joan Burton last week.

Following a review by her department last year, it has been recommended that funding – provided by lenders – for the financial advice given by MABS is increased from €250 to €500.

There are currently 78,200 mortgage accounts behind on their payments by 90 days or more. The majority are yet to be restructured.

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