2023 does not appear to be Freedom Mortgage Corporation’s year. Yesterday, they received another enforcement action from the CFPB alleging they provided false information to Federal Regulators. This follows the August penalty for illegal kickbacks. In August, the CFPB took action against Freedom for violating the most basic requirements of RESPA Section 8. They were found to be providing illegal incentives to real estate brokers and agents in exchange for mortgage loan referrals. Freedom provided […]
Category: RESPA
CFPB GUIDANCE ON DIGITAL COMPARISON-SHOPPING PLATFORMS
On February 7, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an advisory opinion to protect consumers from double dealing on digital mortgage comparison-shopping platforms. Companies operating these digital platforms appear to shoppers as if they provide objective lender comparisons, but may illegally refer people to only those lenders paying referral fees. When shoppers use a lender that is not the best option for their needs, they may end up with a lower quality lender […]
AS COVID RAGES ON, THE REGULATORS REENGAGE
On November 10, 2021, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the state financial regulators (collectively, agencies) issued a joint statement to communicate to mortgage servicers the agencies’ supervisory and enforcement approach as risks associated with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic continue to change. On April 3, 2020, the agencies […]
FINAL RESPA PROTECTIONS FOR BORROWERS AFFECTED BY COVID PUBLISHED
On June 28, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a 208-page final rule that completes the rule making on amendments to the federal mortgage servicing regulations (Regulation X) that: Establish temporarily procedural safeguards to help ensure that borrowers have a meaningful opportunity to be reviewed for loss mitigation before the servicer can make the first notice or filing required for foreclosure on certain mortgages. Temporarily permit mortgage servicers to offer certain loan modifications made […]
CFPB Issues New RESPA FAQs
Recently the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) updated its Mortgage Servicing FAQs webpage to add 23 new FAQs that discuss selected topics relating to escrow accounts under Regulation X. The new FAQs provide a general overview of the escrow account provisions in Regulation X and address topics such as deficiencies, shortages, and surpluses.