Duty to Provide Payoff Amount; Liability for Failure to Provide; Prepayment Penalty Prohibited for Adjustable Rate Mortgages; Short Sales; Foreclosed Property; No Protection From Deficiency Judgment

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Sec. 201. (1) A creditor or mortgage servicer shall provide, in writing, an accurate payoff amount for a first lien mortgage transaction to the debtor not later than seven (7) business days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after the creditor or mortgage servicer receives the debtor's written request for the accurate payoff amount. A payoff statement provided by a creditor or mortgage servicer under this subsection must show the date the statement was prepared and itemize the unpaid principal balance and each fee, charge, or other sum included within the payoff amount. A creditor or mortgage servicer who fails to provide an accurate payoff amount is liable for:

(a) one hundred dollars ($100) if an accurate payoff amount is not provided by the creditor or mortgage servicer not later than seven (7) business days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after the creditor or mortgage servicer receives the debtor's first written request; and

(b) the greater of:

(i) one hundred dollars ($100); or

(ii) the loan finance charge that accrues on the first lien mortgage transaction from the date the creditor or mortgage servicer receives the first written request until the date on which the accurate payoff amount is provided;

if an accurate payoff amount is not provided by the creditor or mortgage servicer not later than seven (7) business days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after the creditor or mortgage servicer receives the debtor's second written request, and the creditor or mortgage servicer fails to comply with subdivision (a).

(2) This subsection applies to a first lien mortgage transaction, or the refinancing or consolidation of a first lien mortgage transaction, that:

(a) is closed after June 30, 2009; and

(b) has an interest rate that is subject to change at one (1) or more times during the term of the first lien mortgage transaction.

A creditor in a transaction to which this subsection applies may not contract for and may not charge the debtor a prepayment fee or penalty.

(3) This subsection applies to a first lien mortgage transaction with respect to which any installment or minimum payment due is delinquent for at least sixty (60) days. The creditor, servicer, or the creditor's agent shall acknowledge a written offer made in connection with a proposed short sale not later than five (5) business days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after the date of the offer if the offer complies with the requirements for a qualified written request set forth in 12 U.S.C. 2605(e)(1)(B). The creditor, servicer, or creditor's agent is required to acknowledge a written offer made in connection with a proposed short sale from a third party acting on behalf of the debtor only if the debtor has provided written authorization for the creditor, servicer, or creditor's agent to do so. Not later than thirty (30) business days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after receipt of an offer under this subsection, the creditor, servicer, or creditor's agent shall respond to the offer with an acceptance or a rejection of the offer. The thirty (30) day period described in this subsection may be extended for not more than fifteen (15) business days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) if, before the end of the thirty (30) day period, the creditor, the servicer, or the creditor's agent notifies the debtor of the extension and the reason the extension is needed. Payment accepted by a creditor, servicer, or creditor's agent in connection with a short sale constitutes payment in full satisfaction of the first lien mortgage transaction unless the creditor, servicer, or creditor's agent obtains:

(a) the following statement: "The debtor remains liable for any amount still owed under the first lien mortgage transaction."; or

(b) a statement substantially similar to the statement set forth in subdivision (a);

acknowledged by the initials or signature of the debtor, on or before the date on which the short sale payment is accepted. As used in this subsection, "short sale" means a transaction in which the property that is the subject of a first lien mortgage transaction is sold for an amount that is less than the amount of the debtor's outstanding obligation under the first lien mortgage transaction. A creditor or mortgage servicer that fails to respond to an offer within the time prescribed by this subsection is liable in accordance with 12 U.S.C. 2605(f) in any action brought under that section.

(4) This section is not intended to provide the owner of real estate subject to the issuance of process under a judgment or decree of foreclosure any protection or defense against a deficiency judgment for purposes of the borrower protections from liability that must be disclosed under 12 CFR 1026.38(p)(3) on the form required by 12 CFR 1026.38 ("Closing Disclosures" form under the Amendments to the 2013 Integrated Mortgage Disclosures Rule Under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X) and the Truth In Lending Act (Regulation Z) and the 2013 Loan Originator Rule Under the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z)).

As added by P.L.145-2008, SEC.20. Amended by P.L.52-2009, SEC.1; P.L.35-2010, SEC.10; P.L.89-2011, SEC.5; P.L.27-2012, SEC.6; P.L.54-2016, SEC.1; P.L.73-2016, SEC.3.


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