Our vision is fair mortgages and secure housing for homeowners in debt.
Mortgage Stress Victoria (MSV) is a free specialist statewide service. We help Victorians in mortgage stress to stay in their homes sustainably. Our team consists of lawyers, financial counsellors, and social workers. We are Australia’s only free service exclusively dedicated to supporting people in mortgage stress.
Demand for MSV’s services
People in mortgage stress are often ineligible for other free services because they are homeowners, require specialist support, and are vulnerable to losing their most important asset
This reality is becoming increasingly common as mortgage repayments proportionate to household incomes are at record highs.[1] The median house is no longer affordable to the median income earner[2], and Australian household debt is amongst the highest in the OECD.
Homeowners unable to afford their mortgage often also struggle to secure an affordable rental without intensive support, with Metropolitan Melbourne’s median weekly rent currently at $580 [3].
Our impact
[1] RBA, Statement on Monetary Policy, November 2024, p 8, https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2024/nov/pdf/statement-on-monetary-policy-2024-11.pdf
[2] Devine, Aidan, Alarming salary needed to buy home in each capital revealed, January 2025, https://www.realestate.com.au/news/salary-you-need-to-afford-home-every-suburb-revealed/
[3] Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, https://www.dffh.vic.gov.au/publications/rental-report