Mortgage servicers have thrown themselves into efforts to ease lending terms for borrowers who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, or who run the risk of doing so, amid intensifying political and industry pressure to tackle rising foreclosures.

Servicers are changing the terms on six times the number of loans per month compared with June 2007, according to research by Credit Suisse. Mortgage servicers collect mortgage payments from borrowers and administer problem loans on behalf of lenders or investors who own mortgage debt.

The increasing number of loan modifications comes amid persistent deterioration in the performance of the subprime loan market and increasing government and industry efforts to prevent foreclosures whenever possible. That includes the government’s Hope Now Alliance and industry attempts to streamline loan modifications for borrowers facing interest rate resets.

Financial Times