Repossession rises due to "hopelessly out of control" economy

A parliamentary candidate has blamed the government for a rise in repossessions.

The Reading Evening Post reports that councillor Gareth Epps, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Reading East, has called for laws to ensure lenders file claims only as a last resort.

Commenting on Ministry of Justice figures that showed the number of repossession claims at Reading Crown Court to have risen by 26 per cent compared to this time in 2007, Mr Epps said that families across the UK are "paying the price" for the government's handling of the economy.

"There is a lot of helpful advice available to people in financial difficulty but we also need a change in the rules," he added.

Repossession orders in the town rose by 16 per cent in the second quarter of 2008, compared to the same period a year ago.

Earlier this week shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond said the government had created the problem by encouraging a 'spend now, pay later' culture, the Guardian reported.

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