Part of My Debt Plan · Helping people in Scotland deal with debt for many years Call us on 0161 464 0870 · Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
TD Trust-Deeds.co.ukProtected Trust Deed Experts · Scotland
Scottish Debt Help · Rent & Mortgage

Help with rent & mortgage arrears in Scotland

Rent and mortgage arrears are the most serious kind of debt, because they put your home at risk. They can’t simply be written off — a mortgage is secured on your property — but dealing with your other debts can free up the income to keep your home. Here’s an honest look at how.

  • Honest advice — your home comes first
  • Free up income by dealing with your other debts
  • Strong signposting to specialist housing help

The solutions we advise on are debt solutions, not loans; some are forms of insolvency, are recorded on a public register and will affect your credit rating. Your initial advice is free and there’s no obligation; if you go ahead, fees apply and are shown to you in full first. We’re a commercial service — free, independent debt advice is also available from MoneyHelper and the Scottish Government.

Protecting your home

£
Arrears
A plan
Home secured
Your other debts brought into one payment
Income freed up for rent/mortgage
Specialist housing help signposted
Many years of debt expertise
Free initial advice, no obligation
Licensed Insolvency Practitioners
Scotland-only specialists
Scottish debt specialists
IPA-licensed Insolvency Practitioners
Your home comes first
Honest about the limits
Your home comes first

Dealing with rent & mortgage arrears in Scotland

Rent and mortgage arrears are priority debts because the consequence of ignoring them is losing your home. A mortgage is secured against your property, so it can’t be written off through a debt solution, and rent arrears can lead to eviction action — so these need dealing with directly and quickly.

Where a Scottish debt solution helps is with everything else. By bringing your unsecured debts — cards, loans, overdrafts — into a Debt Arrangement Scheme or Protected Trust Deed, you free up income each month that can go towards your rent or mortgage and any arrears, helping you keep your home.

We’ll be honest: this is about protecting your home, not erasing housing debt. We’ll always point you to specialist help too — for homeowners, organisations like the Scottish Government’s Home Owners’ Support Fund and shelter services; for renters, Shelter Scotland and your local authority.

How it works

Free up income to protect your home

We deal with your unsecured debts so more of your income is available for the priority payments that keep a roof over your head.

Prioritise your home

We start from what you need to pay for your rent or mortgage, then look at what’s left for everything else.

One payment for the rest

Your unsecured debts are brought into a single affordable monthly payment through a DAS or Trust Deed, freeing up income.

Specialist housing help

We signpost you to specialist rent and mortgage-arrears services, which can negotiate directly with your landlord or lender.

Worried about losing your home?

Free, confidential advice with no obligation. Find out in minutes how to protect it.

See if you qualify →
Advantages

The benefits of dealing with it this way

For the right person, these solutions offer real relief. Here are some of the main advantages.

£

One affordable payment

Bring your unsecured debts together into a single monthly payment based on what you can realistically afford.

Creditors kept at bay

We deal with your creditors directly, so you no longer have to liaise with them yourself.

Interest frozen

Once your solution is in place, interest and charges on the debts included are frozen so the balance stops growing.

Scotland-only specialists

Dealing with Scottish debt is all we do, so the advice you get is tailored to the solutions available where you live.

Disadvantages & things to consider

The risks to weigh up

This is a serious step and isn’t right for everyone. We’ll fully explain the implications and check any solution is affordable, achievable and suitable — another option, or free impartial advice, may be better for you.

A mortgage can’t be written off

A mortgage is secured on your home, so it can’t be written off through a Trust Deed or DAS, and rent arrears can lead to eviction. A debt solution helps by freeing up income — it doesn’t erase housing debt.

Your credit rating

A Trust Deed or DAS affects your credit rating and can make obtaining credit harder for a period. If you’re already behind, your rating is likely affected already.

Public register

A Protected Trust Deed is recorded on the public Register of Insolvencies; a DAS on the DAS Register — both searchable.

Write-off isn’t guaranteed

Where debt can be written off, how much depends on your circumstances and creditor agreement. Nothing is promised.

Act early

With priority debts, enforcement can move quickly. The sooner you get advice, the more options you’ll have.

Suitability

No single solution is right for everyone. We’ll always check whether another route would serve you better first.

Can we help protect your home?

Let’s look at it honestly

If the following sounds like you, it’s worth free, straight advice. There are other factors we’ll assess, such as your property status and income.

  • You live in Scotland
  • You have unsecured debts you’re finding hard to manage
  • You owe money to more than one creditor
  • You can afford a regular monthly payment towards your debts
Home first

Free up income by dealing with your other debts, so more can go towards keeping your home.

Check if you qualify Free initial advice · No obligation · Fees apply only if you proceed and are shown in full first
Our fees

How our fees work

Your initial advice is free and there’s no obligation. Trust-Deeds.co.uk is a trading style of My Debt Plan Ltd — a commercial, profit-seeking service, paid for the debt solution you enter into.

If you go ahead with a Protected Trust Deed, your trustee is paid a fixed administration fee plus a further fee based on a percentage of the funds collected during the Trust Deed. These fees are paid from the monthly payments you make, before money is distributed to your creditors — so there is no separate upfront fee. On a Debt Arrangement Scheme, a fee is taken from your monthly payment to cover administering and distributing it to your creditors. Whichever route suits you, all fees are explained and disclosed to you in full before you sign anything.

FAQs

Your questions, answered

Can rent or mortgage arrears be written off in a Trust Deed?
No. A mortgage is secured on your home, so it can’t be written off, and rent arrears carry the risk of eviction. A Scottish debt solution helps by dealing with your unsecured debts, freeing up income for these priority payments.
How does dealing with my other debts help?
By bringing your cards, loans and overdrafts into one affordable payment through a DAS or Trust Deed, you free up money each month that can go towards your rent or mortgage and any arrears.
Could I lose my home in a Trust Deed?
In a Trust Deed the trustee has an interest in any equity in your home. Where appropriate this can be managed, but if equity can’t be released your home could be affected. We’ll explain exactly how this applies to you before you decide anything.
Who else can help with housing arrears?
For homeowners, the Scottish Government and organisations dealing with mortgage difficulty; for renters, Shelter Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland and your local authority. We’ll point you to the right specialist help.
Will this affect my credit rating?
Yes. A Trust Deed or DAS affects your credit rating and is recorded on a public register. If you’re already in arrears, your rating is likely affected already.
Compare your options

Dealing with your other debts

These routes deal with your unsecured debts to free up income for your home. We’ll explain the advantages, disadvantages and risks of each.

May write off debt

Protected Trust Deed

A Scottish alternative to bankruptcy for unsecured debts over £5,000. One affordable monthly payment, typically over around four years, after which qualifying unsecured debt you can’t afford is written off (subject to creditor agreement, not guaranteed). A form of insolvency recorded on a public register.

Learn about Trust Deeds →
Repay in full, protected

Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS)

A Scottish Government scheme to repay your debts in full through one affordable payment, with interest and charges frozen and your home and car protected as long as you keep up the payments. It will still affect your credit rating.

Learn about DAS →
Get in touch

Let’s talk. Move forward with life.

Find out in minutes how dealing with your other debts could help protect your home. It’s free, confidential and there’s no obligation.

See if you qualify in minutes

Answer a few quick questions about your situation and a debt advisor at My Debt Plan Ltd will be in touch to talk through your options. It’s free, confidential and there’s no obligation.

See if you qualify →

Prefer to speak to someone? Call us on

0161 464 0870

Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · Private & confidential, no obligation

Free, independent debt advice is also available from MoneyHelper, StepChange, National Debtline or Citizens Advice Scotland.

Telephone
0161 464 0870
Office
Alexandra Court, Carrs Road, Cheadle, SK8 2JY
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Money Helper
To find out more about managing your money and getting free advice, visit MoneyHelper, an independent service set up to help people manage their money.

Guides worth reading

Straight answers to the questions people ask most before choosing a Scottish debt solution.

How much debt do you need for a Trust Deed? The £5,000 threshold, what counts as qualifying debt, and what else decides it. Read the guide → Trust Deed vs DAS: which is right for you? Write off what you can’t afford, or repay in full with interest frozen. Read the guide → Can I keep my car in a Trust Deed? Owned cars, cars on finance and Motability — the honest answer. Read the guide → What is the Minimal Asset Process (MAP)? The low-cost route into bankruptcy for people with few assets and a low income. Read the guide →

All debt guides & FAQs →

Move forward with life

Facing your debt is the first step towards dealing with it. Free, confidential guidance — with no judgment and no obligation.

See if you qualify