Forbearance

In the context of a mortgage process, forbearance is a special agreement between the lender and the borrower to delay a foreclosure. The literal meaning of forbearance is “holding back.”

When mortgage borrowers are unable to meet their repayment terms, lenders may opt to foreclose. To avoid foreclosure, the lender and the borrower can make an agreement called "forbearance". According to this agreement, the lender delays their right to exercise foreclosure if the borrower can catch up to their payment schedule in a certain time. This period and the payment plan depend on the details of the agreement that are accepted by both parties.

Historically, forbearance has been granted for customers in temporary or short-term financial difficulty. If the borrower has more serious problems, i.e. where the return to full mortgage payments in the long term does not appear sustainable, then forbearance is usually not a solution. It needs to be noted that each lender is likely to have their own suite of forbearance products.

Examples of the types of forbearance which lenders may potentially consider are:

It needs to be understood that the type of forbearance being granted is being provided based on the customer's individual circumstances. i.e. customers in short term financial difficulty would be more likely to be approved of either a (short term) full moratorium or negative-amortising deal compared to customers in long term financial difficulty where the lender would at all times seek to ensure that the capital balance continues to be reduced (via an amortising forbearance arrangement). Negative amortising forbearance arrangements are only suitable as short term deals because the loan balance will continue to increase as full interest is not being paid.

When a lender offers a forbearance, they are refraining from enforcing their right to realize on Securities under their agreement or contract with the Borrower. This is done in order to assist the Borrower in getting back to a performing financial position as well as maneuver the Lender's position to more easily realize on security should the Borrower's return to satisfactory financial performance fail to materialize. The borrower is still responsible for their debt obligations, though they will accept the agreed forbearance amount and/or terms. On expiry of the agreed forbearance period the loan account reverts to its original form. In many instances, on expiry of the forbearance period, the difference between the level of forbearance granted and the full repayment (which was missed) is recalculated over the remaining term and the customers new repayment is based on the current loan balance, rate and term.

Some exceptions to this is where a reduced rate was given (where the possible intention here to reduce the capital balance as quickly as possible, thereby reducing the loan to value) or where the type of forbearance is for the lifetime of the loan, i.e. a split loan where 1 part of the loan is parked until the expiry date, with the intention that at that time a suitable repayment vehicle (say, sale of asset) is in place for the repayment of the loan in full.

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