COVID-19 Coronavirus Crisis: Paying Your Mortgage and Foreclosures

Contact us with questions about past-due mortgage or mobile home loan payments, property taxes or association fees — if it’s your primary residence. Call us at 1-800-889-2047 and choose option #2.

When you are served with a Summons and Complaint for a foreclosure lawsuit, it is important to talk to a lawyer right away. Fill out our form and we will call you back. Your information will be sent to Legal Services Vermont. You can also call us at 1-800-889-2047. We can give you quick advice or possibly a referral to a lawyer.

You should file an Answer. You can use our Answer form. Your signature on the Answer does not have to be notarized. Instead it must say: “I declare that the above statement is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that it the above statement is false, I will be subject to the penalty of perjury or other sanctions in the discretion of the court.” The Answer must be delivered, mailed or emailed to the court and a copy sent to your lender’s lawyer.

You can file a motion to stay the Writ of Possession. Here are some reasons you can ask for the Writ of Possession to be stayed (paused): 

• You are getting a forbearance from your lender. 
• You will be able to reinstate your mortgage as soon as you get assistance from the state. 
• You have a medically vulnerable person in your household, and it is not safe to try to find another place to live. 

Contact us for advice. 

If the town tells you it is planning to sell or transfer your property due to unpaid property taxes or other municipal bills, contact us for advice.

See our Property Taxes page for more information on tax sales and property tax abatement.

1. Contact us with questions about past-due mortgage or mobile home loan payments, property taxes or association fees — if it’s your primary residence. Call us at 1-800-889-2047 and choose option #2.

2. Your local Homeownership Center can help. They can: 

• help you assess your current housing situation and needs 
• provide delinquency and foreclosure assistance 
• help you understand the foreclosure process to better navigate a successful outcome, or 
• help you work with your loan servicer on a repayment plan or viable workout option. 

Follow this link to see which Homeownership Center covers your area. 

3. Vermont Veterans: Contact the Safely Home project for advice and help.