mortgage servicing – Consumer Financial Services Watch

Financial Institutions & Services Litigation Group Highlights Key Legal Issues at MBA Conference

Apr 26 2017

Members of the K&L Gates Financial Institutions & Services Litigation Group will speak on key topics at the upcoming the MBA’s Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Conference in Miami, FL (May 7-10).

Olivia Kelman will review the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) as well as other lending-related requirements of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) on Sunday afternoon (May 7).

Andrew C. Glass will address major litigation and enforcement trends, including cases heard or pending before the Supreme Court and other federal courts on Monday afternoon (May 8).

Paul F. Hancock will discuss fair lending issues affecting business models and practices, a topic of particular interest with the entrance of a new administration, on Monday afternoon (May 8). Paul also will facilitate a fair lending roundtable discussion later that same afternoon.

In addition, many of our group’s attorneys are attending the conference. We look forward to seeing you all in Miami!

LIGHT READING FOR THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER: CFPB FINALIZES AMENDMENTS TO MORTGAGE SERVICING REGULATIONS

Aug 08 2016

By Brian M. Forbes, Andrew C. Glass, Gregory N. Blase, Robert W. Sparkes III and Matthew N. Lowe

On August 4, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) issued its final rule setting forth amendments and clarifications to mortgage servicing regulations. These changes follow a prior round of revisions to mortgage servicing regulations that went into effect in January 2014. Since proposing the amendments to the regulations in November 2014, the CFPB received and reviewed hundreds of comments. At just over 900 pages in length, the final rule addresses numerous areas of mortgage servicing, including the following:

It’s Time For An Upgrade — Outdated Technology Puts Mortgages Servicers At Risk For Increased CFPB Scrutiny and Potential Servicing Violations

Jun 27 2016

By Brian M. Forbes, Soyong Cho, and Hollee M. Watson

More than two years have passed since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) implemented comprehensive amendments to the loan servicing provisions of Regulation X. Mortgage servicers have had to invest in technology and human capital to keep up with new regulatory requirements while saddled with expanded duties to respond to borrower inquires, disputes, and requests for information, in addition to new and extensive loss mitigation requirements. Outdated technology has put servicers at risk for increased enforcement and litigation issues. But, as the CFPB has noted, the problems are not “insurmountable.”

Webinar: The Mortgage Lifecycle: Litigation Hotspots From Origination Through Foreclosure

Feb 16 2016

Please join a group of our seasoned Financial Institutions and Services Litigation attorneys for a webinar addressing hot litigation topics concerning residential mortgages. We will begin with loan origination, navigate through loan servicing, and end with foreclosure and loan termination. Along the way, we will touch upon litigation arising from various consumer protection statutes, as well as notable common law claims. The webinar will wrap up with our thoughts on anticipated litigation trends and time for Q&A.

HUD’s Proposal to Terminate FHA Insurance Policies Could Terminate the FHA Program

Sep 01 2015

By: Krista Cooley, Kathryn M. Baugher

If there is anything that galls servicers of government-insured loans, it is the forfeiture or curtailment of all accrued interest from mortgage insurance claims resulting from the failure to foreclose fast enough within artificially created state time lines. At first glance, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD” or the “Department”) listened to the complaints of servicers who argued that they should not be penalized for pursuing foreclosure avoidance options or experiencing delays in the legal system beyond their control. HUD’s proposed regulation regarding changes to the Federal Housing Administration’s (“FHA”) single-family mortgage insurance claim filing process includes proposals that pro rate the curtailment of interest based on actual delays caused by the servicer, proposing to eliminate the complete forfeiture of accrued interest for only one day of delay. So far, so good, but HUD did not stop there. HUD also proposed the complete extinguishment of an FHA insurance policy if the servicer does not complete foreclosure within a new set of artificial time lines. Read together, HUD’s reform is to provide servicers with more accrued interest if they do not foreclose fast enough, unless, of course, HUD invalidates the whole insurance policy—the loss of both principal and interest—by virtue of HUD’s subjective definition of unreasonable delays. Few servicers think that is progress.

This proposal raises significant questions and concerns for FHA mortgagees that hold and service FHA-insured loans, many of which could have a chilling effect on FHA lending and servicing activities if HUD were to implement the proposed claim filing deadline as proposed and without significant changes to HUD’s claim filing guidelines and procedures.

Recent Developments in State Mortgage Servicing Laws

Jun 30 2015

By: Costas A. Avrakotos, Kerri M. Smith, Francis L. Doorley

New laws in Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, and Rhode Island will have consequences for mortgage servicers operating in those states. Recently enacted legislation in Hawaii and Nevada imposes new licensing and compliance obligations on servicers. In addition, legislation in Louisiana and Rhode Island set to go into effect has licensing implications for those entities that are mere holders of mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), but that do not actually service the loans.

A Hard Rain Has Started to Fall A Product-by-Product Review of the CFPB’S First 60 Enforcement Actions

Nov 12 2014

By: Jon Eisenberg

Between July 17, 2012 and October 9, 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau brought 60 enforcement actions. According to our unofficial tally, they resulted in settlements requiring the payment of $2.2 billion in restitution, $174 million in CFPB civil money penalties, and, in a few cases, other forms of consumer relief. In this alert, we discuss the products and alleged practices that led to those recoveries. Our purpose is simple—what’s past is likely prologue when it comes to CFPB enforcement actions. Understanding the conduct that produced the first 60 enforcement actions will help companies avoid becoming one of the next 60 enforcement actions.

To read the full alert, click here.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Issues Its Long-Anticipated Eaton Decision

Jun 28 2012

By: Phoebe S. Winder

In a long-anticipated decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) ruled in Eaton v. Federal National Mortgage Ass’n, 2012 WL 2349008 (June 22, 2012) (“Eaton”) that when conducting a non-judicial foreclosure in Massachusetts, a foreclosing entity must not only hold the mortgage – it also must hold the note or be authorized to act on behalf of the note holder. But if the goal of consumer advocates was to void a large volume of foreclosures, then they failed in that goal, and Eaton should be seen as a victory for those who have foreclosed, or who are seeking to foreclose, on mortgage loans in Massachusetts. Read More

National Mortgage Foreclosure Settlement Tackles “Dual Tracking” of Foreclosure and Loan Modification

Apr 05 2012

By: Stephanie C. Robinson, Kerri M. Smith

At what point is it appropriate after a borrower defaults to initiate foreclosure proceedings? As soon as the borrower defaults? Few, if any, servicers follow this rule. During a review of loss mitigation options? During a trial modification? Servicers long have felt that the extraordinary delays in completing foreclosures based on some state laws weigh in favor of starting the foreclosure process as soon as possible. Of course, the servicer always can call off the foreclosure if the loss mitigation option succeeds, but a decision to delay the initiation of foreclosures can result in investor claims. On the other hand, borrowers who think they are in the running for a loan modification often are angry and dismayed when the foreclosure notice arrives. The national foreclosure settlement between the country’s five largest residential mortgage loan servicers and the federal government and 49 state attorneys general places a number of restrictions on the controversial but common practice of “dual tracking” foreclosures and loan modifications. Read More

Protecting the Protectors – the Global Settlement Agreements’ SCRA Provisions

Apr 03 2012

By: Jonathan D. Jaffe

Given the reported violations of the provisions of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”) by some servicers, and the attendant enforcement and civil actions against those servicers, state and federal regulators clearly felt compelled to impose significant SCRA-related requirements on the nation’s five largest residential mortgage loan servicers (the “Servicers”) in the recent global settlement agreements (the “Agreements”) entered into between those regulators and Servicers, described here. Read More

Tag:mortgage servicing