The Council of Mortgage Lenders says the number of cases in arrears at the end of September 2008 was 168,000 - 8pc higher than the 155,600 in arrears at the end of June. They are expecting up to 170,000 arrears by the end of the year. The CML also said that 11,300, houses were repossessed - 12pc higher than the 10,100 in the second quarter of 2008.