Double-digit increases in gas and electricity prices and rising fuel and food costs are exacerbating the financial difficulties faced by homeowners with mortgages. High inflation has reduced the likelihood of base rate cuts, while the persistence of the credit crunch means that, even if the Bank of England were to cut rates, there are no guarantees that mortgage lenders would pass on those cuts to borrowers. There could not be a worse time to default on a loan: anyone with a less than perfect credit record will find it increasingly difficult - and expensive - to borrow money. So what should you do if you are struggling to meet your mortgage repayments?

1. Ask for help - now!

Speak to your lender immediately. Under the Financial Services Authority's treating customers fairly initiative it must attempt to work with borrowers who are suffering financial hardship. You could also speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau, which provides free advice.

2. Do not miss a payment

“If you miss a mortgage payment, this will be recorded on your credit file and may make it more difficult to get a mortgage, or to remortgage, in the future,” says Melanie Bien, of the mortgage broker Savills Private Finance. Your home could even be repossessed. Jonathan Cornell, of Hamptons International Mortgages, says: “Maintaining your mortgage payment should be your main priority.”

3. Stop spending

Luxuries should be sacrificed. Check that you are getting the cheapest phone, energy and broadband deals, and paying the lowest insurance premiums without compromising on cover.

4. Switch to an interest-only loan deal...

Switching from a repayment to an interest-only mortgage will reduce your monthly payments. “You must ensure that you switch back to a repayment deal as soon as you can afford to do so, otherwise the capital will not be repaid by the end of the mortgage term,” Bien says.

5...extend the term of your mortgage...

Standard mortgage loans run for 25 years, but you can arrange to pay off your loan over 30 years or more: this reduces the monthly repayments, although it will of course increase the total amount of interest that you pay. Once again, this may be a good short-term solution: you could always reduce the length of the loan again once you can afford to do so.

6... get another deal...

“If you are on a standard variable rate or another rate without penalties, you could ask your lender what other rates they have to offer,” Cornell says. Many lenders, including Halifax, Nationwide, Cheltenham&Gloucester, Woolwich and Yorkshire Building Society, have reduced their short-term fixed rates, while tracker rates have also been coming down over the past few weeks so you may find that you can now get a cheaper deal.

7...or a new lender

If your lender is unable to offer you a better rate, consider going elsewhere. The market is nowhere near as competitive as it was 12 months ago, but some lenders - particularly the larger ones - are now looking to attract new business, so there are some decent deals around, particularly if you own a considerable chunk of equity in your property and if you have a clean credit history.

8. The state could help

If you are on a low income, you may be eligible for help with housing costs or council tax payments. If you have children, further help is available, in the form of child benefit (payable to all parents with children under the age of 16, regardless of income), as well as the working family's tax credit, which is means-tested.

9. Take in a lodger

Renting out a room is a tax-efficient way to boost your income: under the terms of the rent-a-room scheme, you are entitled to earn up to £4,250 a year tax-free by renting out a furnished room in your own home.

10. Sell up and downsize

If all else fails, you could put your property on the market and either downsize to a smaller, cheaper property or rent for a while until house prices fall and you can once again afford to get back on the property ladder. If you do decide to sell, do not let on that you desperately need to get rid of the property: buyers will drive a much harder bargain if they are aware that you are a distressed seller.

呈两位数增长的汽价和电价，持续攀高的燃料和食品开销，加剧了抵押贷款供房人面临的财务困难。高通胀率减少了降低基准利率的可能，而信用危机的持续则意味着，即使英格兰银行要降低利率，也无人保证房贷公司会将降息的好处转给借方。现在拖欠贷款就太不是时候了：信用记录不够完美的人会发现借钱是越来越难，越来越贵了。如果你得拼死拼活地偿还房贷，你会怎么做呢？

1. 求助—就是现在！

马上跟你的贷方谈。按金融服务局对客户正当提议的解决方案，贷方应与面临财务危机的借方进行协商。你也可以去公民咨询局，他们会提供免费建议。

2. 不要错过偿还期

“如果错过了抵押贷款的还款期，你的信用记录上就会被记上一笔，以后再想抵押或再抵押就更困难了。” Savills Private Finance公司的抵押贷款经纪人梅兰妮·毕恩说。甚至你的房子都会被收回。Hamptons International Mortgages 公司的乔纳森·加纳尔建议说：“你首要工作是继续还款。”

3. 克制花销

奢侈品就不必了。自查一下，你要去买最便宜的手机，用最经济的能源，装最划算的宽带，付最廉价的保险费而且应保俱保。

4. 转向只付利息的贷款方式

从全额还款转到只付利息的贷款会减少你的月供。毕恩女士说：“你必须得保证只要你有了还款能力你就会转回全额还款模式，否则这笔钱在抵押期到了的时候也还不完。

5. 延长抵押期

抵押贷款的标准还款期是25年，但你可以做出安排将其延长至30年或更长：虽然这样肯定会增加你的支付总额，但却减少了月供，再次强调，这只是个权宜之计：一旦你有了还款能力，你就要再次缩短还款期。

6. 另觅出路

“如果你吃的是标准可变利率或其它利率而且没有罚款，你就可以咨询你的贷方公司有没有什么其它的利率可提供。”加纳尔说道。许多抵押贷款经纪公司，包括Halifax, Nationwide, Cheltenham&Gloucester, Woolwich 和 Yorkshire Building Society，都降低了它们的短期固定利率，而浮动利率在过去的几周内也有所下调。现在你就可以得到更便宜的借贷了。

7. 换个借贷公司

如果你的借贷公司无法给你更好的利率，请考虑去别的地方。如今的市场竞争可不如一年前那么剧烈了，但一些抵押贷款经纪公司，特别一些大公司，现正在筹划发展新业务，所以你总能在周围找到合适的方案，特别是当你的财产可观，信用历史清白的时候。

8. 政府援助

如果你的收入较低，你也许就有资格得到住房支出或地税支出方面的援助。如果你有小孩，就会得到更多援助，如儿童补助金（发给所有孩子不足16岁的父母，不计收入因素），如工作家庭的税收减免（要接受审查）。

9. 房间出租

将房间租出去是一种免税增收法：将你家里已装好家具的一间房出租，则在租期内你将获得每年高达4250英磅的免税收入。

10. 变卖或压缩

如果其它方式均不奏效，你可以把你的财物拿到市场上变卖，或压缩财产规模使其更小更便宜，或先出租一段时间，等到房价下跌，你就能把那些东西再赎回来了。如果你决意要卖，别让人看出来你急着要把东西脱手：如果知道你是个急等钱用的卖家，买家会狠宰你一刀的。