A group of Maryland homeowners who accused their mortgage company’s branch managers, loan officers and agents of accepting illegal kickbacks in exchange for referrals to a specific title company have agreed to start settlement discussions with the lender.
A judge dismissed the case last year after the mortgage company argued its payments to the title company fall within RESPA Section 8(a)’s safe harbor provision. However, the plaintiffs were later granted a motion for reconsideration. Read on for the latest in the case.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has filed a lawsuit against an online debt-settlement company for allegedly failing to disclose its relationship to certain creditors, and steering consumers into high-cost loans offered by affiliated lenders.
The CFPB filed a complaint in U.S. District Court Central District of California alleging the company engaged in abusive acts or practices under the Consumer Financial Protection Act and violated the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
Read on for details.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against a pair of Pennsylvania landlords.
The lawsuit alleged a male sexually harassed a female tenant in April 2019 after he entered her home to perform maintenance, and the former tenant was evicted after she reported the harassment. The lawsuit arose from a complaint the woman filed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Read on for details from the DOJ and HUD.
The plaintiff alleged she sent the servicer a hardship letter requesting a COVID-19 forbearance. She alleged the servicer failed to respond to the forbearance request and refused to cancel the scheduled foreclosure sale.
The servicer sought attorneys’ fees and costs against the plaintiff. Read on to see a magistrate’s recommendations.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached a settlement with a New York real estate agency accused of violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against African Americans.
“Today’s settlement reflects the department’s continued commitment to uncover and eliminate discrimination in all forms and to ensure equal access to housing regardless of race,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela Karlan of the Civil Rights Division said in a release.
Read on to see how a judge ruled in the case.
A Texas woman claimed her servicer failed to provide her with information or documentation regarding her mortgage loan after she allegedly provided notice she was the former owners’ successor in interest.
Instead, the servicer accelerated the loan and posted the property for foreclosure, according to the plaintiff’s lawsuit.
Caliber argued the RESPA claim should be dismissed. Read on to see why a federal magistrate agreed with the servicer.
Gary Klopp – who was banned from the mortgage industry for two years - previously settled allegations that he and his companies violated RESPA by receiving kickbacks totaling more than $500,000 from the now-defunct Genuine Title. Read on for details.
A federal judge has dismissed a class action RESPA lawsuit filed by an Ohio woman who claimed her servicer failed to timely and properly respond to her requests for information (RFI) and notices of error (NOE).
The servicer argued the claims should be dismissed because the purported RFIs and NOEs did not relate to “servicing” of the loan and the plaintiff failed to allege damages.
Read on for highlights of the ruling.
An Austin, Texas real estate technology company has filed a federal antitrust complaint against Zillow and the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
REX – incorporated as Real Estate Exchange, Inc. – was launched in 2015 and uses technology to enhance efficiency and reduce brokerage commissions.
Read on for details from the new lawsuit against NAR, which faces multiple other suits alleging illegal restraints on trade.
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