Family living in a Tent - Surviving the Recession

	Family living in a Tent - Surviving the Recession The Sumners have tried everything, including renting out their house and pitching a tent in the park down the road for some extra cash. Ray Sumner was a plumber and after having his hours whittled down to seven a week last August, he decided to go out on his own. However, after falling off a roof and injuring his neck, his family are now depending on his ACC payments to pay the mortgage but they are about to stop. Ray's wife, Sue, is doing her Masters and works in management training. The Whangaparaoa couple are hoping their bank will let them sell their home, despite the mortgage being higher then its resale value. They are also hoping to qualify for a mortgage holiday. "I would say this is a toxic asset and we're testing the system fully as to what happens in that situation," Mrs Sumner said. She said the family have tried everything to stay on top of the mortgage repayments, bills, and food costs, including picking up washing machines and dishwashers on the side of the road, fixing them up and selling them on the online auction site, Trade Me. "We were the inorganic waste collection. Because he was injured and he could pick up nothing, it was between me and my son Daniel to do the picking up. I would ring up Daniel and he would go: Oh no, Mum, I'm not going to come out to pick something off the side of the road," Mrs Sumner said. The garage began filling up but the couple were living off an income that was only half of what they needed to make their mortgage payments <b>...</b>	From:nzheraldtv Views:1979 8ratings
	Time:05:46	More inNews & Politics