I cannot keep up with my mortgage and the bank is threatening to sell

Act early and communicate with your lender. Under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003, you can apply to your lender for hardship relief, such as reduced or postponed payments, if you are unable to meet your obligations because of illness, injury, loss of employment or other reasonable cause, and lenders must consider the application. Free financial mentors and community law centres can help you prepare it. If the lender wants to enforce its mortgage, it must follow the procedures in the Property Law Act 2007, including giving you a formal notice and time to remedy the default, and a mortgagee sale must be conducted with reasonable care to obtain the best price. You may also apply to the court for relief. Selling the property yourself before enforcement can produce a better price. Get advice immediately.