# Defaults Whenever a user fails to make payments within the time given for their current installment it allows any other user to trigger a default of their contract. Whilst users are encouraged to make monthly payments, defaulting only becomes available after 45 days since the last outstanding repayment.\ \ Users can in theory choose to pay on day 44 of their payment window, however this is not recommended. Defaulting provides an important economic design that increases yield for Earn product users.\ \ When this happens all funds tied into the mortgage contract are returned to the protocol. IMPORTANT NOTE: There is no way to refund any of the borrower's funds at this stage, the borrower loses all funds added to the contract up to the point of defaulting. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://mortgagefi-docs.gitbook.io/mortgagefi-documentation/getting-started/components/defaults.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.