But while this was the highest number since 1995, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), it was lower than the 75,000 it had forecast in December 2008.
Lenders possessed 10,200 properties in the fourth quarter of 2009, which was 13 per cent lower than in the third quarter. Some 188,300 mortgages ended the year with arrears equivalent to at least 2.5 per cent of the outstanding mortgage balance, said the CML.
The main reason for the numbers not being as bad as feared was due to historically-low interest rates, meaning cheap repayment costs for many borrowers. A number of government schemes also gave support to those who were struggling paying their mortgage or facing eviction.
The CML predicts 53,000 properties may be repossessed in 2010, although this could be higher if interest rates start to rise.