The number of properties taken into possession by mortgage lenders rose to 5,630 in the second half of 2005, according to figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. This was 22% higher than the 4,620 in the first half of the year, but still extremely low by historical standards - the peak half-yearly figure was 38,930 in the second half of 1991.
The total number of repossessions in 2005 was 10,250. This was 70% higher than in 2004 - although still the third lowest annual figure since 1983.
