Mortgage borrower assistance program July. Extension of the new program to help mortgage borrowers. To consider a loan application you need

28.11.2023

Welcome to the pages of the online magazine “Ipotekoved.RU”. Today we will talk about what the mortgage borrower assistance program is and exactly how you can get help repaying your mortgage from the state in 2019.

Today you will learn:

— What is this program to help certain categories of mortgage borrowers?

— How to get help in repaying a mortgage from the state?

— Reviews of those who received government assistance in paying off their mortgage.

So, go ahead!

Mortgage has become one of the effective tools for solving the housing problem in Russia. Yes, it has a number of disadvantages and advantages, which we will consider in a separate post of our project, but this is a real opportunity, especially for young families, to purchase housing.

With the onset of another economic crisis, the state had to provide support to mortgage borrowers who found themselves in a difficult financial situation. In April 2015, the corresponding 373 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated April 20, 2015, signed by D.A. Medvedev. The operator for the implementation of this project was JSC Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending.

Initially, this resolution provided for the validity of the assistance program until the end of 2016, but changes and additions were repeatedly made to it. Today, according to the latest changes 373 of the Government Resolution dated November 24, 2016, assistance to mortgage borrowers (mortgage restructuring) valid until March 1, 2017(extended until May 31, 2017 by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 02/10/2017 No. 172, from 03/07/2017 the acceptance of new applications has been suspended due to the expenditure of funds under the program.

However, in July 2017, an additional 2 billion rubles were allocated from the government fund to resume the program. On August 11, 2017, new conditions for participation in the mortgage borrower assistance program were released - which you will learn about from this post) and are as follows:

The borrower's mortgage obligations to the bank are reduced in the amount of 20% to 30% of the balance (at the discretion of the lender's bank), but not more than RUB 1,500,000.
By agreement between the borrower and the bank, you can choose the format of assistance, namely, either use the entire amount of mortgage assistance to pay off the principal debt and thereby reduce the monthly payment, or to reduce the monthly payment by 50% or more for up to 1.5 years.
Replacing foreign currency mortgages with ruble ones. Moreover, the mortgage rate cannot be higher than 11.5% per annum. For a ruble mortgage, not higher than the current bank rate, except for cases provided for in the mortgage agreement, in case of violation of insurance rules.
Before September 1, a special interdepartmental commission must be created that will be able to increase the maximum payment under the program by 2 times and approve applications for participation if there are deviations from the basic conditions, but not more than in two points.

Example: If a family has a mortgage balance at the time of restructuring of 2 million rubles and, after checking the AHML documents, the creditor bank decided to write off the debt in the amount of 20% of the balance of the principal debt, then with a mortgage of 12% per annum with a remaining term of 10 years payment will be reduced from the planned 28,694 rubles. per month up to 22955. Benefit 5739 rubles.

There is an opinion that very often banks refuse to carry out mortgage restructuring, but in fact this procedure is very beneficial for them because losses incurred by the bank (lost interest income) due to early repayment are compensated by the state.

Changes in the program for assistance to mortgage borrowers dated 02/10/2017 suggest that the maximum compensation of 30% of the balance (up to 1.5 million rubles) is compensated by the state only if there are two children in the family or you are disabled (disabled child), and combat veterans can also apply. With one child you can only claim 20%. Changes dated August 10, 2017 allow the maximum payment to be doubled by decision of a special interdepartmental commission. Also, the mortgage loan must be issued no earlier than 12 months before the date of filing the restructuring application.

Having analyzed the negative reviews about mortgage repayment with the help of the state, our experts came to the conclusion that most often the basis for refusal is inaccurate information provided by the borrower and lack of knowledge of the basic requirements and conditions of state support. Let's talk about them now.

Important point! Acceptance of documents under the Program has been suspended since December 2, 2018 and the program is no longer operational.

Who can receive support from the state

Government Decree No. 373, as amended on November 24, 2016, provides the following list of persons to whom the state can help pay mortgage payments:

Citizens of the Russian Federation with 1 or more minor children;
Guardians (trustees) of 1 or more minor children;
Participants in hostilities;
Disabled people or families with disabled children;
Citizens with dependent children under 24 years of age who are studying full-time at an educational institution.

Requirements for mortgage housing

To receive assistance from the state, the mortgaged apartment must meet these characteristics:

Should not exceed the total area for a one-room apartment - 45 sq.m., for an apartment with two rooms - 65 sq.m. and for three rubles or more - 85 sq.m.
Cost of 1 sq.m. the total area of housing exceeds no more than 60% of the average cost of a typical apartment in your region on the date of conclusion of the loan agreement (according to the Federal State Statistics Service).
The residential premises must be the only one for the mortgage borrower. In this case, it is allowed to have a total ownership share of no more than 50% of all family members in one other residential premises. The availability of property is counted from 04/30/2015. Those. It will not be possible to quickly rewrite/donate “extra” real estate in order to become a participant.

Important point! The requirement for the total area of mortgage housing and the cost per square meter does not apply to families with 3 or more minor children. If you have more than 50% of the property in another home, then you will be denied the program, but you can transfer it to relatives and then everything will be ok. To do this quickly and without problems, we recommend that you sign up for a free consultation with our lawyer (promotion until December 31, 2019) in the special form in the corner. From August 11, 2017, disputes regarding square meters and deviations under the program must be resolved by a special interdepartmental commission, which will be created in September.

Requirements for mortgage borrowers

Russian citizenship
Your income is less than twice the cost of living where you live for each person in your household, subtracted from your monthly mortgage payment. The last three complete months are analyzed. In this case, the mortgage payment must increase by at least 30% of the initial payment.

Those. This program is only suitable for foreign currency mortgages and those borrowers with a floating rate. For ordinary mortgage borrowers, it is impossible for the current payment to be 30% higher than the original payment. But when the interdepartmental commission starts working, it will be possible to submit an application there for consideration because Up to 2 deviations from the conditions are allowed. Deviation for increasing the monthly payment, among other things.

If you have a co-borrower in the mortgage and he has a registered share in the ownership of this apartment, then he is obliged to provide a full package of documents both for himself and for his family members.

Now answer these questions. If you receive the answer “NO” to one of them, then you will not be able to qualify for participation in the mortgage borrower support program in 2019.

Do you have minor children or are you a guardian (trustee) of such children?
Housing purchased with a mortgage in Russia?
Are all mortgage borrowers citizens of the Russian Federation?
After subtracting the mortgage payment, is the income for each member of your family less than twice the cost of living in your region?
Has your payment increased by 30% from the original schedule?
Is the mortgage issued for the purchase of finished housing or housing under construction?
The total housing area is less than 45 sq.m. for a one-room apartment, 65 sq.m. for two-room apartment and 85 sq.m. for three rubles and above (except for families with 3 or more children).
Cost of 1 sq.m. no more than 60% of the average cost per square meter in a typical apartment in your region?

If all your answers are “Yes,” then you will be able to receive support from the state in paying off mortgage loans.

How to get government support

Now you already know that you can count on support from the state in repaying your mortgage. Now all that remains is to find out how to get it.

First of all, you need to contact the bank where you received your mortgage. Almost all major banks participate in this mortgage assistance program. The full list can be downloaded.

As a rule, this issue is dealt with by the department for working with overdue debts. You just need to call your bank's contact center and find out where it is located.

The bank will give you a list of documents for state support for a mortgage. A sample list is presented below:

An application form with a mandatory indication of the reason for providing you with assistance from the state (decrease in income, layoff, maternity leave, etc.).
Passports, birth certificates of minors of all family members.
Marriage certificate (if the marriage is registered).
Certificate of divorce, change of full name, parents and children, parental agreement on the child’s residence with one of the parents (if required).
A decision of the guardianship authorities or a court decision to establish guardianship (for guardians and trustees).
Combat Veteran Certificate (for veterans).
Documents on disability of the borrower or co-borrower or their children.
Birth certificate for dependent persons under 24 years of age.
Certificate of family composition to confirm the residence of a dependent under 24 years of age with the borrower/co-borrower.
A certificate from an educational institution stating that a child under 24 years of age who is a dependent of the borrower/co-borrower is studying full-time.
Notice from the Pension Fund that a dependent person under 24 years of age does not have independent labor income.
A certified copy of the borrower/co-borrower’s work record.
Official certificate of employment (for military or law enforcement officers).
Certificate of registration of individual entrepreneurs (for individual entrepreneurs).
Order of the Ministry of Justice of Russia on appointment as a notary (for notaries).
Work record book and/or expired employment contract for the unemployed.
Document on registration with the employment service (for unemployed people).
Notification of the pension fund about the status of the personal account of the insured person (for everyone).
Certificate from the Federal Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation about income due to temporary disability, benefits and other payments.
Certificate of income in form 2 of personal income tax or in the form of a bank from all family members.
Bank certificate on the total family income (provided by the bank).
Tax returns, patents, etc.
Certificate of pension amount for pensioners.
Loan agreement
Mortgage note (if issued, it is in the bank).
Application from borrowers about the availability of real estate in Russia.
Equity participation agreement (for a mortgage on a new building).
Mortgage collateral valuation agreement.
Technical/cadastral passport for residential premises.
Mortgage payment schedule.

The list is quite impressive and will make you run a little, but it's worth it. The only point that is quite difficult is extracts from the Unified State Register of Real Estate. They cost money. One extract on property rights throughout Russia is 1,500 rubles per person and no one will return it to you if you refuse. Last time there were a lot of complaints about this. As of August 11, 2017, the requirement to have an extract from the Unified State Register has been cancelled. The bank has no right to demand it. AHML independently requests it.

After a complete list of documents is provided to the bank, the responsible employee must send them to AHML for verification. On average, it lasts 30 days, but feedback from participants indicates that it can last up to six months. The bank and AHML request additional documents at their discretion.

When AHML makes a positive decision, the bank will notify you of the date of the meeting. Next, you will need to sign a new payment schedule, a new PSK document, enter into a restructuring agreement (additional agreement to the mortgage agreement), and an agreement on changes to the terms of the mortgage. Next, you will need to wait from 2 to 4 weeks, when the mortgage will be requested from the bank’s archives. After this, it is necessary, along with a complete package of loan documents and an agreement on changes to the terms of the mortgage (be sure to make copies), to visit the justice department for state registration of changes.

The process is similar at Gazprombank. VTB 24 closes your mortgage and issues a new loan for a smaller amount, which means that you again have to pay for insurance and appraisal.

There is no charge for mortgage restructuring. Carrying out this procedure does not relieve you from paying the monthly payment and insurance premiums stipulated by the contract.

If a client finds himself in a difficult life situation, he can take advantage of the AHML program from Sberbank, which provides various options for restructuring existing debt, including changing a foreign currency mortgage to a ruble one with a lower interest rate.

What is the mortgage assistance program?

An increase in mortgage debt is becoming a fairly large problem for Russia, especially noticeable against the backdrop of declining incomes and rising prices. Indebtedness gives rise to a whole range of interrelated difficulties, for example, a decrease in purchasing power and a slowdown in economic growth. To solve this problem, a federal program to help mortgage borrowers was launched.

What does the client get?

As mentioned above, the AHML mortgage assistance program at Sberbank is a debt restructuring. In a normal situation, restructuring is possible only for bona fide payers who fulfill their obligations without delay for a certain period (from six months). In this case, it is possible to combine several loans into one and even transfer debt from one bank to another.

Under the preferential program, debt restructuring is possible only at Sberbank, i.e. It will not be possible to refinance, for example, with VTB. In addition, mortgage refinancing is possible for certain categories of people who find themselves in a difficult financial situation, i.e. "by default" do not have sufficient funds to service the loan.

The state, represented by AHML, under the program to assist mortgage borrowers in 2018 at Sberbank, guarantees not only a review of the loan terms, but also additional opportunities:

write-off of accrued penalties and fines if the borrower could not fulfill obligations due to circumstances beyond his control;
revision of the terms of the contract in favor of reducing the interest rate to the minimum possible of 9.23%;
conversion of foreign currency mortgages into rubles at a more favorable rate than the current market rate;
payment of a compensatory nature, no more than 600 thousand rubles to one borrower.

Duration of the program

The duration of the AHML program at Sberbank has been determined - restructuring can be obtained only until the end of 2017. Whether the program will be extended further depends entirely on the intentions of the Government.

The bank cannot provide fewer benefits than those provided by the state, since its costs are financed by the state. However, Sberbank is ready to offer even more favorable conditions to loyal customers with a good credit history. Which ones exactly will be decided during negotiations.

In addition, Sberbank is ready to provide restructuring not only for mortgages, but also for car loans and regular consumer loans. However, in these cases one cannot count on government help; this is solely an initiative of Sberbank.

One more important point: despite the fact that the mortgage assistance program is being implemented by AHML, you need to contact Sberbank itself to review the terms of the agreement.

Who can count on government support

As mentioned above, during a regular restructuring, only solvent borrowers can apply for a revision of the terms. In the case of state support, the situation is diametrically opposite: socially vulnerable segments of the population can count on assistance under the AHML program for mortgages from Sberbank:

disabled people of any group;
participants in combat operations, including internationalist soldiers, participants in the Chechen campaigns, etc.;
"Chernobyl victims".

Conditions for receiving assistance

The mandatory conditions for receiving the AHML assistance program from Sberbank are:

a decrease in all family income by more than 30% with a ruble mortgage or an increase in the size of payments by more than 30% with a foreign currency mortgage (for comparison, two consecutive three-month periods are used, i.e. the last six months, while the amount of average per capita income for one month does not may exceed two subsistence levels in the region);
making payments on a loan for a period of at least 1 year (i.e. the agreement must be drawn up earlier than 12 months before submitting an application for financial assistance from Sberbank);
the bank must be a participant in the AHML program (Sberbank is one).

For example, a family with two minor children who took out a dollar mortgage in 2012 can qualify for assistance (the amount of payments has since doubled, i.e. by 100%).

Criteria for borrowers

Under the AHML program of state support for borrowers, Sberbank’s criteria generally duplicate the provisions of the federal program, while additional grounds for restructuring are introduced:

dismissal from work (at the initiative of the employer or due to bankruptcy of the enterprise);
transfer to a lower position with salary reduction;
increase in expenses caused by the death or illness of a relative (or co-borrower);
loss of income-generating property due to conditions beyond the borrower’s control (for example, theft of a rental car or a fire in an apartment);
conscription into the army of the payer himself or his closest relative/co-borrower helping to pay the loan (for example, the mortgage was issued to the wife, but the husband was conscripted);
pregnancy and childbirth;
receiving disability;
long illness.

The borrower’s goal is to show that he finds himself in a difficult financial situation, but at the same time does not refuse his obligations and is ready to fulfill them if the bank provides him with more favorable conditions.

How to become a participant in the program

For financial assistance or beneficial restructuring, the borrower's collateral must also meet certain parameters.

Conditions imposed on mortgaged housing

Thus, in Sberbank, under the AHML support program, the criteria for a mortgaged apartment are as follows:

This must be the borrower's only residence. In order for the premises to meet this criterion, the payer should not have more than a 50% share in any other apartment, even under the terms of privatization.
The housing area should not be more than 45 square meters for a one-room apartment, 65 square meters for a two-room apartment and 85 square meters for a three-room apartment.
The price of one square meter should not be 60% more than the market average on the date of registration of the mortgage. Moreover, calculations for primary and secondary housing are carried out separately, information is taken from the regional branch of Rosstat.

It is worth noting that Sberbank’s AHML program for supporting mortgage borrowers does not distinguish between types of housing - benefits can be obtained for apartments in the primary and secondary markets, as well as when participating in shared construction (even if the housing is not yet completed).

Documents for the program

In accordance with the requirements of the AHML Sberbank program, documents must be prepared by the borrower independently. The minimum package includes:

application in the bank’s form (done at the end under the supervision of a specialist in mortgage programs);
evidence of the payer’s membership in the preferential category of program participants (for example, a veteran’s certificate, a certificate from the hospital establishing a disability or chronic illness, a birth certificate in the child’s family, etc.);
evidence of being in a difficult financial situation (copy of an employment contract, certificate from the employment department about registration, death certificate of a co-borrower, copy of a military ID, etc.);
evidence of a decrease in income or loss of income-producing property;
documents for the apartment - an extract from Rosreestr or a copy of the certificate of ownership, property valuation (a document executed at the time of registration of the mortgage is suitable), a copy of the purchase and sale agreement, transfer and acceptance act, etc.;
bank documents - agreement with payment schedule, mortgage, account statement, etc.;
an extract from Rosreestr about the amount of real estate owned by the borrower (the certificate must be no older than 30 days);

If the payer is included in the Sberbank AHML borrower assistance program, he will receive a new agreement providing for more favorable mortgage terms. Help can only be used once.

Restructuring options

Today, there are two options for providing financial assistance to needy payers:

Providing one-time financial assistance from AHML funds. In this case, no more than 10% of the debt and no more than 600 thousand rubles are written off. The bank considers this as an early repayment and can either shorten the mortgage term or recalculate the monthly payment based on new data.
Carrying out restructuring.

Note that the second option is implemented in the vast majority of cases. Under the assistance program for mortgage borrowers, AHML and Sberbank offer the following types of restructuring:

payment reduction by 2 times for 18 months (AHML pays the missing amount instead of the payer), after which payment continues as usual;
“stretching” the mortgage term, thereby reducing the monthly payment;
deferment of principal payment for up to 6 months (i.e., the borrower pays only interest for these six months);
postponement of the payment date;
reduction of the interest rate to a minimum of 9.23% (if the key rate is reduced by the Central Bank, an even more intensive rate reduction is possible);
Conversion of foreign currency mortgages into rubles at a fixed preferential rate.

Note that the first type of restructuring is always used by the bank, the others are optional.

The borrower needs to calculate which type of assistance - a reduction in the total debt or a temporary reduction in the amount of payments - will be more profitable for him. Perhaps a Sberbank mortgage specialist or lawyer will help him make the right decision.

In addition, if the client finds himself in a difficult financial situation and has made delays, he can ask for the accrued fines to be written off. As a rule, banks are willing to take such a step, especially if the client was able to become a participant in the AHML program.

Conclusion

Thus, the AHML program from Sberbank is designed for mortgage borrowers facing financial difficulties. They can receive one of two types of financial assistance: reduction of the principal debt or restructuring on preferential terms. The main thing is to show that the applicant is a bona fide borrower who needs a little help, and he will continue to pay his obligations as before.

The program of assistance to mortgage borrowers organized by the Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending (AHML) in 2017, according to the latest news, has been extended and has undergone some changes. Let's look at its basic conditions, as well as who and how it can help.

The Housing Mortgage Lending Agency is a state company whose main goal is to provide citizens of the Russian Federation with comfortable and affordable housing. Among the services provided, in addition to the borrower assistance program, are mortgage lending on the primary and secondary housing market, preferential mortgages in Moscow and the regions, services for holding land auctions and leasing real estate.

The mortgage assistance program is designed to provide financial support to certain categories of borrowers experiencing difficulties in repaying their mortgage. According to the latest news, in 2017, by decision of the government, the activities of AHML in this area were continued and additional funds in the amount of 2 billion rubles were allocated for these needs in August.

Specifically provided for by the terms of the program:

The foreign currency borrower is given a choice: writing off 30% of the debt or converting it into Russian rubles at a lower exchange rate. When introducing the AHML mortgage program, the bank does not have the right to charge an individual any fees related to changes in the terms of the mortgage, or to shorten the term of the loan agreement.

What are the conditions for providing assistance?

Participation in the assistance program is available to the following categories of borrowers:

Grace period - 55 days
Credit limit - up to 300,000 ₽
Interest rate - from 12.00%
Cashback - up to 30%
Installment plan up to 12 months
Service available "120 days without interest" for loan refinancing

A number of the borrower’s housing that are the subject of a mortgage are also presented. Thus, the area of a 1-room apartment should not exceed 45 m², a 2-room apartment is limited to 65 m², and if the mortgaged property has 3 or more living rooms, then the area limitation will be 85 m². In addition, the mortgaged apartment must be the only housing owned by the borrower. But AHML, under the terms of the assistance program, allows for a share not exceeding 50% of any other property that is collectively owned.

Requirements for financial condition of an individual are:

The latest conditions for participation in the assistance program for mortgage borrowers are: requirements for the contract. The transaction must be concluded at least 12 months before applying to AHML. The exception is contracts for which the statute of limitations is not regulated.

What is needed for registration

To participate in the program, you must contact directly the bank that issued the mortgage (or which currently owns it). You must submit the entire list of documents listed below. The application for assistance will be reviewed by the financial institution and the results will be communicated to the borrower. In special cases, a special interdepartmental commission may be created.

The list of required documents includes:

According to the latest news, the bank does not need to prove the uniqueness of the collateral housing. AHML independently provides this information. More detailed information can be found on the official website of the Agency.

If you are entitled to help from AHML, then be sure to take advantage of it. The program has already helped more than 1,000 families when difficulties arise with repaying a mortgage loan, making life easier for the borrower and his family.

At the end of 2014, the country experienced a sharp increase in the number of mortgage debts among the country's population. This is due to a sharp drop in the ruble exchange rate due to the prolonged crisis in the Russian economy.

In this regard, the Government of the Russian Federation has developed a program to assist mortgage borrowers of AHML, which has been implemented since 2016. About who can receive it and the latest news about the work of the additional financing project further in the article.

Conditions for participation in the program

A special program of state support AHML (Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending) is necessary to restructure the problem of mortgage loans at preferential rates, in which the state makes part of the monthly payment for the borrower. The size of the loan debt does not matter.

Hotline number - 8-800-755-55-00

There are several conditions for receiving government support:

passport,
certificates that document your financial security,
Documentation on the mortgage and pledged property (copy of the agreement, bank certificate, copy of the purchase and sale agreement for mortgaged real estate),
extracts from the state register for a residential property to confirm the status of mortgaged housing.

A borrower can take part in the assistance program only if the banking organization is also a participant. For example, Sberbank clients can receive government support.

For borrowers who have taken out a mortgage loan secured by their own home, special conditions apply:

Any housing can be pledged, including those that are subject to the right to claim equity participation in construction under the contract;
This property must be the borrower's only place of residence. It is worth noting that the total share in the property of each owner must be less than 50%;
The area of a one-room apartment pledged should not be more than 45 square meters. For a two-room apartment the maximum limit is 65 square meters, and for a three-room apartment or more - up to 85 square meters;
The cost of the mortgaged property should not exceed the cost of standard housing on the primary and secondary markets by more than 60%. For comparison, the regional market is used according to Rosstat data on the date of taking out a mortgage loan. This condition does not apply to families with three or more children.

How to get financial assistance

To apply for financial assistance from AHML, the borrower must contact the banking organization that issued the mortgage loan. To do this, he needs to provide a certain package of documents, the deadlines for submission and the list of which are established by the bank itself.

At the beginning of August 2017, the Government of the Russian Federation, headed by Dmitry Medvedev, approved the further work of the program for certain categories of mortgage borrowers who find themselves in a difficult situation. As a result, a new resolution was adopted, the implementation of which will begin on August 22.

Rus24 portal. News reports that 2 billion rubles were allocated from the state budget to extend the program to help mortgage borrowers.

One of the main points of this document is to re-submit an application in case of refusal. That is, if a citizen was denied participation in the program before the resolution was adopted, he will again apply for financial assistance. It is worth noting that in this case the data will be taken into account taking into account all changes that occurred after the refusal.

Also, if the mortgage was issued in a foreign currency, then the loan debt will be transferred to Russian rubles if government support is provided.

Video: The state support program for mortgage borrowers has been extended

Instability of economic realities and the emergence of private life difficulties may lead to the fact that previously assumed obligations to repay the mortgage debt cannot be fulfilled by the borrower in the same amount. Banking organizations are interested in ensuring that citizens do not accumulate loan debt, so they restructure the debt or give credit holidays. But all these steps are not always able to help families who find themselves in difficult situations.

To receive government support, you must meet the established criteria and go through the registration procedure.

Since 2016, a government program began to operate aimed at helping mortgage borrowers who, due to current circumstances, cannot repay their loan. Certain amounts of money are allocated from the budget, which are used to partially repay the mortgage debt.

Mortgage as a special lending program was developed and implemented in the Russian Federation to enable citizens to purchase real estate without major initial investments. The very essence of this program is to help people. Many families have the opportunity not to save for many years for housing, but to buy it today and, while living in it, pay off the borrowed amounts. The mortgage is issued for a period of up to 30 years, and all funds spent on housing, along with interest for their use, are paid in monthly installments.

The mortgage program is good and convenient for everyone, but it also has a significant disadvantage - you cannot predict your well-being for decades to come. Every person's life undergoes changes and, unfortunately, not all of them are positive. Over many decades, a citizen can start a family, children, lose a high-paying job or even health. The very principle of mortgage lending implies that if a person can no longer pay monthly installments, the living space is sold and the bank takes the balance of the unpaid debt, and the difference in the amount is returned to the former borrower. Of course, such an outcome is considered disastrous, because years of contributions go down the drain, not to mention the fact that the home owner ends up on the street. To prevent such a situation, a state program to support mortgage borrowers was developed in 2015.

Legislative framework

This system began to operate in 2016. Its foundations are set out in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 373 “On the main conditions for the implementation of the assistance program...” dated April 20, 2015. For less than two years it was suspended, but then resumed again. In August 2017, the Government of the Russian Federation decided to resume the program that had been stopped by that time, which was enshrined in Resolution No. 961 of August 11, 2017. The expiration date of state support was not specified and in 2018 it is valid to the established extent. To date, government support has been provided to almost 19,000 families who find themselves in a difficult financial situation.

Resolution No. 373 has been constantly refined and improved since its first adoption; new significant points were introduced into it that improved the interaction procedure and took into account the interests, first of all, of borrowers. The document specifies the basic conditions for participation in the program and the amount of funds allocated from a special government fund. In 2017, two billion rubles were allocated for the implementation of the program.

Supporting body

The program of state support for mortgage borrowers is carried out through the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation, and is directly implemented by the joint-stock company “Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending” (AHML). This structure is authorized to consider candidates applying for monetary government support and to stimulate housing lending.

AHML is a state organization and its budget consists of 100% state capital money. This structure has a clear purpose - to provide support to banks that engage in long-term mortgage lending.

Cooperation between banks and AHML takes place according to the following scheme:

A citizen applies to a credit institution and receives a loan from it to purchase housing.
If certain conditions are met, the borrower applies to AHML for state support. The allocated money is not given in cash to the needy, but is transferred directly to the creditor for partial repayment of the debt.
The bank restores its financial reserves using the funds issued, and the transferred amount is written off from the payer’s debt.

In such operations, the bank respects its interests, and the borrower receives financial support from the state and extends the possibility of repaying the debt.

Borrower categories

Government Decree No. 373 provides a complete list of citizens who have the right to count on participation in the developed program. The list was approved in 2015 and slightly adjusted in November 2016. It includes:

Parents who have one or more minor children.
Guardians or trustees raising one minor child or more children under 18 years of age.
Citizens who took part in hostilities.
People with any degree of disability, subject to official confirmation of this fact.
Parents raising a disabled child.
Parents who support children over 18 years of age, but under 24 years of age, provided that they are full-time students in educational institutions.

The conditions apply only to people who have Russian citizenship, a Russian passport and permanent registration in Russia.

Requirements for borrowers

Repayment of a mortgage at the expense of the state is possible, but it is necessary to meet established requirements. The borrower must fall under one of the listed categories and be a citizen of the Russian Federation, but this does not guarantee that assistance will be provided.

One of the most important indicators is the level of wages at the moment and the ratio of the size of the loan payment on the day of registration and on the day of applying to AHML. The applicant must have a low monthly income. The salary limit is calculated as follows:

The mortgage payment amount is deducted from your monthly income.
The remaining amount should not exceed twice the minimum subsistence level. The PM of a specific region is taken as a basis. The amount of income is divided among all family members.

The calculation takes into account data for the last three months. AHML specialists proceed from the fact that the previously established loan payment should increase by at least 30%. This situation often arises for those citizens who have taken out a foreign currency mortgage or taken out a loan at a floating interest rate.

Loan requirements

To receive financial assistance, it is extremely important that the loan itself meets the established requirements. They apply mainly to the amount of the mortgage loan. It is extremely unreasonable to set any restrictions in monetary terms, because the cost of residential properties varies depending on the region and locality, so the requirements are put forward directly to the real estate taken on a mortgage. Collateral housing must meet the following criteria:

The area of the property must be no higher than 45 m2 for a 1-room apartment, 65 m2 for a 2-room apartment and 85 m2 for a 3-room apartment.
The cost of one square meter is calculated based on the average price in a given locality. Exceeding the average is allowed by no more than 60%.
The mortgaged property is the borrower's only living space. If he has a share in other premises, then it is important that it does not exceed 50% of the total area. Data on the availability of other real estate is taken from 2015.

Please note that all of the above restrictions on credit and living space do not apply to families with three or more minor children.

Conditions for participation in the program

You can apply for state support only if you meet one of the main conditions, which is often not taken into account by debtors - the mortgage loan must be issued at least a year ago. If the loan was taken out just a few months ago, you should not count on debt restructuring. All efforts of the state are not aimed at freeing the borrower from loan obligations. Support only reduces payments to an acceptable level, leaving the citizen with an amount that he can repay on his own.

You can count on financial assistance only once. Moreover, if the application is rejected due to insufficient grounds, the citizen can appeal to a special interdepartmental commission. It was approved in 2017 and allows for a more individual approach to considering situations. The commission can not only decide on the need for assistance on a previously rejected application, but also increase the amount of compensation by any number of units, up to 100%.

Help format

The final result of government assistance is expressed in monetary terms, but which format will be chosen in each specific case depends on many circumstances. There are two main ways to reduce your monthly payments:

Reducing the borrower's debt obligations.
Converting a foreign currency loan into ruble equivalent.

The choice of option depends, first of all, on the initial data of the loan taken.

The state support program was developed after the economic crisis significantly weakened the financial capabilities of payers. A few years ago, mortgages were issued at variable rates, since this aspect was not regulated by the state. This procedure well protects the credit institution itself from loss of profit, but for the borrower it can become a debt trap, which is what actually happened to many payers.

Difficult circumstances and the fact that the income level of a large number of citizens has seriously fallen, had a negative impact primarily on their solvency.

Reducing the borrower's obligations

The borrower's obligations are reduced according to a certain scheme. The first thing the financial institution decides is how much to compensate the applicant. In this case there is no established minimum size, but there is a maximum. Often 20-30% of the total balance owed on the mortgage is reimbursed. It is stipulated that the amount of state support should not exceed one and a half million rubles.

The following categories of citizens will be able to repay 30% of the debt:

The family has two minor children.
Disability has been established.
Parents are raising a disabled child.
The applicant is a combat veteran.

Families with one child can receive only 20% of the remaining mortgage debt. Please note that an exception may be made to this rule if the interdepartmental commission decides that a large amount of debt must be paid.

It is important to determine not only how much money will be compensated from budget funds, but also how it is provided. There are two options for assistance:

The entire agreed amount is written off from the debt balance, after which the amount of monthly payments is recalculated.
The provided amount of money is divided into parts, each of which will be used to compensate for the monthly payment. In this case there are two significant limitations. Firstly, you can compensate no more than 50% of the monthly contribution. And secondly, the duration of such payment should not exceed 18 months.

Which option to choose is decided between the borrower and the lender, but the prerogative is given to the citizen, because the financial organization loses nothing in either case.

Replacing foreign currency mortgages with ruble ones

Many mortgage borrowers found themselves in the unpleasant situation of financial collapse precisely because at one time they took out a loan in foreign currency. Long-term stability in the foreign exchange market weakened the vigilance of citizens, and it began to seem that nothing would shake the current situation. The amount of mortgage loans taken due to the jump in the exchange rate increased several times. And given the interest rate applied to them, repayment of dues has become simply unrealistic.

The state support program allows citizens who have taken out a mortgage in foreign currency to convert the loan into the ruble equivalent.

The restructuring of such loans is carried out not according to the established rate, but according to the laws adopted today. The interest rate applied to the ruble equivalent should not exceed that provided by the bank today for issuing mortgage programs. The rate can be increased only in one case, if the borrower has violated the established insurance rules provided for in the loan agreement.

Documents for restructuring

Financial organizations consider an application for debt restructuring with the help of state support only if the borrower provides the required package of documents for consideration of his candidacy. Information about his financial and family situation must be confirmed and fit the conditions of the program.

The list of documents consists of the following forms:

Passport.
Valid loan agreement.
Documents for minor children - birth certificates.
Certificate of disability or participation in hostilities and receipt of veteran status.
A certificate from a medical institution if a minor child has a disability.
Certificate of income for the last three months.
A copy of the work book from the employer or its original if the person is not working at the moment.
A certificate from an educational institution stating that the adult child is a full-time student.
Guardians and adoptive parents must provide a decision from the guardianship authorities and a court order.
Extract from the Unified State Register.
Insurance policy.

The list may be supplemented at the discretion of the credit institution. Attached to the article is a sample application for mortgage restructuring.

Procedure

To receive government financial support to repay part of the remaining mortgage loan, the borrower will need to go through a step-by-step procedure. It consists of the following steps:

A package of documents is submitted to the credit institution that issued the mortgage loan.
The bank reviews the submitted application and issues its verdict.
If the decision is positive, the applicant moves on to the next step, and if the decision is negative, he can contact the interdepartmental commission for a more detailed consideration of the circumstances and a more individual response.
A new loan agreement is concluded or an additional agreement is prepared to an existing form.

First, the bank repays the difference from its own funds, but then the entire specified amount is compensated by AHML

Contacting the bank

Many borrowers complain that the bank refuses to restructure their mortgage loan, not wanting to consider documents for government support. It should be taken into account that not all credit institutions are included in the AHML list, which complicates the possibility of cooperation. If the refusal is the initiative of the bank, then you can safely submit an application to the interdepartmental commission, since such actions are considered unlawful.

A borrower who, in his own opinion, meets the established requirements and conditions of state support is required to fill out an application form. This form is confirmed by the collected documents and submitted to the creditor for examination and a final verdict.

A positive decision results in a revision of previously established payment amounts. Before signing new agreements with the bank, you should decide on the method of compensation - one-time or in installments to pay off monthly payments.

Contacting AHML

The entire registration procedure is carried out in close cooperation between the bank and AHML. If the process follows a standard path, then the citizen will not have to apply to AHML on his own; this will be handled by the lender. The bank submits the already reviewed documents to the agency, which, based on them, transfers the agreed amount of compensation to the financial organization.

If the creditor rejected the application for debt restructuring or decided to compensate only a small part of it, which, in the opinion of the property owner himself, is unjustified, a commission review of the situation can be initiated. In some cases, the commission may decide to pay 100% of the debt, but for this the reasons must be very compelling.