The Global Financial Crisis (2008-2013) was a paradigm shift for mortgage enforcement proceedings. Not only did it lead to significant changes in legislation to improve enforcement procedures in many jurisdictions, the crisis also revealed the importance of forbearance measures. Combined with growing attention at an international and EU level to the position of the homeowner-consumer, the topic of forbearance and mortgage enforcement proceedings offers an interesting study. This book contains the first post-Global Financial Crisis oversight of the existing legislation and regulation concerning forbearance and mortgage enforcement proceedings, combined with relevant data and a description of relevant socio-economic and financial aspects. Various experts from Europe, the USA, and South Africa describe the post-crisis systems of forbearance and mortgage enforcement proceedings in their jurisdiction. The series Vastgoed, Omgeving & Recht (Property, Environment & Law) focuses on exchange of knowledge and discussion between theory and practice in the field of real estate, environment and law in the broadest sense. Monographs, theses, conference papers and comments are part of the series. This series is part of the book series published by the Nederlands Institute for Law and Governance (NILG). The Netherlands Institute for Law and Governance (NILG) is a joint venture between the faculties of law at the VU University Amsterdam, the University of Groningen and other research institutions to improve research in the field of Law and Governance. The NILG’s research theme is the interaction between the regulation of public and private interests in law and the way in which these interests are being regulate. 1 Introduction; 1.1 Background; 1.2 Methodology and Terminology; 1.3 Content of This Book; 1.4 Acknowledgments; 2 Introductory Remarks; 2.1 Current Developments Regarding Forbearance and Mortgage Enforcement Proceedings in Europe; 2.2 Shifting from an Enforcement Culture to a Forbearance Culture: How the Right to Housing Transformed South African Mortgage Law; 2.3 The American Housing Market and Mortgage Finance: Challenges and Changes; 2.4 Mortgage Enforcement in a Time of Pandemic: Lessons from England & Wales?; 2.5 ‘Reasonable Forbearance’ Prior to Enforcement in the Mortgage Credit Directive; 2.6 New Directive on Credit Servicers and Credit Purchasers; 3 Country Reports; 3.1 Belgium; 3.2 England; 3.3 Greece; 3.4 Ireland; 3.5 Italy; 3.6 The Netherlands; 3.7 Poland; 3.8 South Africa; 3.9 Spain; 3.10 Turkey; 3.11 The United States