Can My Mortgage Company Refuse Payment? (2024)

Can My Mortgage Company Refuse Payment? (1)

A mortgage company is a company engaged in the business of originating and/or funding mortgages for residential or commercial property. A mortgage company is often just the originator of a loan; it markets itself to potential borrowers and seeks funding from one of several client financial institutions that provide the capital for the mortgage itself.

That, in part, is why many mortgage companies went bankrupt during the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-2008. Because they weren’t funding most of the loans, they had few assets of their own, and when the housing markets dried up, their cash flows quickly evaporated.

A mortgage company is often just the originator of a loan; it markets itself to potential borrowers and seeks funding from one of several client financial institutions that provide the capital for the mortgage itself.
Mortgage lenders usually offer a portfolio of mortgages to potential homebuyers including fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, FHA, VA, military, jumbos, refinance, and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs).

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits credit discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status or because you get public assistance. It’s also illegal for lenders to discourage you from applying or to impose different terms or conditions because of these factors.

Finally, it prohibits lenders lenders from denying mortgages to retirees if all standard criteria are met—things like your credit score, the size of your down payment, your liquid assets, and your debt-to-income ratio. Although it is unclear how long the trend will continue, positive economic data indicates that for the immediate future homebuyers can continue to benefit from low mortgage interest rates.

Can My Mortgage Company Refuse Payments From Me?

A lender cannot move forward with foreclosure unless they first try to contact the borrower and suggest options that are available to avoid losing the home in a trustee sale. If your lender refuses to accept your mortgage payments, you should call a lawyer.

Has this happened to you?

1.You fell behind on mortgage payments and your lender will not accept anything less than the full amount to bring the account current.

2.You have applied for a loan modification and your lender is sending you foreclosure notices at the same time.

3.Your lender refuses to accept or apply your monthly payments even though you send them to the lender.

If you have fallen behind on mortgage payments and you are facing foreclosure it is common for the lender to send a notice of default with an amount that you must pay to catch up. Your mortgage company may refuse payment from you if they have started the foreclosure process. They may attempt to collect the full amount of arrears that you owe to bring your account up to date. If you go to court, you can force the lender to accept payments and start a payment plan to catch up.

Call us if you want to:

1.Save your home from foreclosure

2.Force your lender to accept your mortgage payments

3.Dispute the amount that your lender is claiming or enter into a payment plan to catch up.

Once the foreclosure process has begun with the notice of default, your lender is required to accept monthly payments if you file for bankruptcy, and you enter into a Chapter 13 plan. Your lender is also required to accept payments if you are approved for a loan modification. Refusal to accept payments in either case is grounds for a legal complaint and you should talk to a foreclosure lawyer about how to move forward.

Once you fall behind on mortgage payments, it is nearly impossible to refinance your home mortgage. Your best bet is to start looking into loan modification programs with your lender and to talk to a foreclosure lawyer if you have been denied for hardship assistance.

Are You Unable to Make Your Monthly Payments on Your House?

By now, most people have been affected by the economic downturn and have lost a job or suffered an illness that makes it difficult to keep up with mortgage payments. A loan modification is a voluntary offer for assistance by your lender which is intended to lower your mortgage payment to an affordable level.

If you have been denied for assistance by your lender, mortgage litigation is possible depending on your situation. It is best to seek legal advice and discuss your case with Utah foreclosure lawyers who are handling this type of law. Ascent Law helps homeowners who are fighting to save their homes by filing lawsuits based on illegal lending practices. If you think that you may be the victim of wrongdoing by your lender, call to schedule a free meeting with a foreclosure attorney at Ascent Law today.

Do you Need Legal Representation?

If you are behind on mortgage payments and you want to avoid foreclosure, it is best to talk to one of the foreclosure lawyers in Utah at Ascent Law and schedule a free meeting to discuss your case. We help people file for bankruptcy and sue lenders to save their homes. When you meet with the foreclosure attorneys at Ascent Law , we discuss estimated mortgage payments that may be affordable. We look at how many months behind on mortgage payments you are, and we present legal solutions that are best for you, in your situation. The best way to see if this makes sense for you is to call Ascent Law LLC and schedule a Free Legal Consultation today.

What to Do When Your Mortgage Payment Is Declined

Mortgage borrowers and their lenders have certain contractual obligations to each other, including adhering to loan repayment terms. As a borrower, you have a duty, for instance, to make your mortgage payments, and the lender has a duty to accept them in most cases. However, the terms of most mortgage loans allow lenders to decline payments from borrowers who fall behind on their mortgage payments. Getting your mortgage lender to accept a payment once it’s declined takes some work, but it can be done.

Double-check to make sure you followed the instructions for submitting your mortgage payment. Verify the account number, mailing address and other account information. If you’re attempting to send a partial payment, the lender can reject it if partial payments aren’t accepted. Once you rule out any possible errors, send the lender a Qualified Written Request asking for an explanation and initiating a complaint. The lender must try to resolve the issue within 60 days of receiving your request. During this period, your credit is protected. The lender can’t report the unpaid mortgage until the issue is resolved.

If you aren’t delinquent on the loan and your lender is refusing your payment, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. You can submit the complaint online or over the phone. Provide detailed information about what exactly happened, and be as specific as you can to help the bureau understand your situation. Include dates and the response from the lender when you attempted to make your payment. Indicate your desired resolution. The mortgage company receives a notice of your complaint and has 15 days to respond.

What Happens In Mortgage Law

If your mortgage company refuses your payments, your mortgage is going unpaid. Depending on your state laws, the foreclosure process may begin after just a single missed payment. Not only can the lender foreclose, but your credit score will also suffer. Mortgage companies will typically begin reporting missed payments to the credit bureaus after 30 days. Since payment history accounts for 35 percent of your FICO score, a late payment can wreak havoc on your score.

Possible Explanations

Mortgage loans and the rights to service them are bought and sold. If your mortgage company rejects a payment, the loan may have been sold to another lender. Legally, your lender is required to notify you in writing at least 15 days before another servicer takes over your account. The letter should state the name of the new company, the mailing address, the phone number and the name of a person you can contact with questions. The company purchasing your loan is also expected to mail a similar letter with contact and payment information. If you haven’t received any letters from a new servicer, you should contact your current mortgage company to request clarification.

Mortgage Lawyer Free Consultation

When you need legal help with your mortgage in Utah, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Can My Mortgage Company Refuse Payment? (2)

Ascent Law LLC
8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C
West Jordan, Utah
84088 United States

Telephone: (801) 676-5506

from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/can-my-mortgage-company-refuse-payment/

Can My Mortgage Company Refuse Payment? (2024)

FAQs

Can a mortgage company refuse a full payment? ›

Is this legal? Yes, the bank can refuse any partial payment that does not bring the loan current. You are required to pay the monthly amount specified under the terms of your loan contract.

Why won't my mortgage company accept a payment? ›

If you're in default, meaning you're behind on your mortgage payments, your lender can require that you pay the full amount you owe in order to be current on your mortgage. For a mortgage that's in default, your lender might not accept any partial payments that are less than the total amount you owe.

Can a mortgage company demand full payment? ›

If the demand feature is checked "yes," the lender can require that you immediately pay the entire loan balance (principal and interest) at or after the date set forth in the loan documents.

What questions are mortgage lenders not allowed to ask? ›

In addition, although a lender can gather factual information about some things (your gender and marital status), under the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, it can't discriminate based on race, religion, color, age, marital status, sex or national origin.

What happens if a creditor refuses to accept payment? ›

Your creditors do not have to accept your offer of payment or freeze interest. If they continue to refuse what you are asking for, carry on making the payments you have offered anyway. Keep trying to persuade your creditors by writing to them again.

Can you negotiate your mortgage payment? ›

Are mortgage rates negotiable? Yes, to some degree, mortgage interest rates are negotiable. Mortgage lenders have some flexibility when it comes to the rates they offer. However, in many cases getting a lower rate on your loan will come with a price, such as paying “points” to get a lower rate.

How long can you skip mortgage payments? ›

If you miss one mortgage payment, lenders will often issue you a 15-day grace period to pay without incurring a penalty. If you miss four consecutive mortgage payments (or are 120 days late), most lenders begin the process of foreclosure on your home.

What is the most commonly reported complaint related to mortgage lending? ›

Poor communication, or a lack of responsiveness, is the most common complaint in the mortgage lending process.

Who is responsible for an escrow mistake? ›

This is a great question because there is a lot of onus placed on the buyer, even with an escrow account. While your loan servicer is the one responsible for handling your property tax and insurance payments, mistakes are made, and you are the one who will be held liable for the full, on-time payment.

What is the monthly mortgage payment rule? ›

According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance.

What is an alienation clause? ›

What Is An Alienation Clause? An alienation clause, also known as a due-on-sale clause, is a real estate agreement that requires a borrower to pay the remainder of their mortgage loan balance off immediately during the sale or transfer of a property title and before a new buyer can take ownership.

Can a lender refuse a payoff? ›

No, so long as the note does not provide any type of prepayment penalty, the lender is unable to refuse to provide a payoff so long as the property is going to be sold and the loan paid in full.In the event the estate continues to refuse, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit against them and force to them to provide ...

What is the Red Flags rule mortgage? ›

Under the Red Flags Rules, financial institutions and creditors must develop a written program that identifies and detects the relevant warning signs – or “red flags” – of identity theft.

What not to say to a mortgage lender? ›

5 Things You Should Never Say When Getting a Mortgage
  • 'I need to get an extra insurance quote due to … ...
  • 'I can't believe how much work the house needs before we move in' ...
  • 'Please don't tell my spouse what's on my credit report' ...
  • 'I'm still working out the details on my down payment'
Apr 3, 2024

What is unfair mortgage lending practices? ›

Predatory lending is any lending practice that imposes unfair and abusive loan terms on borrowers, including high-interest rates, high fees, and terms that strip the borrower of equity. Predatory lenders often use aggressive sales tactics and deception to get borrowers to take out loans they can't afford.

Do mortgage companies accept partial payments? ›

Some lenders won't accept partial payments at all. Some hold onto them in special accounts (“ suspense accounts ,” sometimes called “unapplied funds accounts”) rather than crediting them immediately to the borrower's loan. Some lenders don't credit partial payments in the way that helps borrowers the most.

What happens if you only make a partial mortgage payment? ›

Instead, one of two things will happen, they will either return your check to you or place the money into a "suspense account". The servicer will keep the borrowers partial payment in the suspense account before crediting the money to the loan.

What happens if you pay your mortgage in full? ›

After you make your final mortgage payment, your loan servicer typically sends you a packet of papers, known as the mortgage release or mortgage satisfaction document, attesting to the fulfillment of your loan contract and the removal of the lender's lien on your house.

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