Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X)

The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (RESPA) (12 U.S.C. § 2601, et seq.) became effective on June 20, 1975. It requires lenders, mortgage brokers, or servicers of home loans to provide borrowers with pertinent and timely disclosures about the nature and costs of the real estate settlement process. RESPA also prohibits practices such as kickbacks, and limits the use of escrow accounts. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) originally published Regulation X, which implements RESPA.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, P.L. 111–203 (July 10, 2010) (Dodd-Frank Act) granted rule-making authority under RESPA to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). In December 2011, the CFPB restated HUD’s implementing regulation to 12 CFR Part 1024.

In 2013, the CFPB issued several final rules amending Regulation X. The final rules implemented certain provisions of Title XIV of the Dodd-Frank Act and included major and technical changes to the existing regulations. Substantial changes included modifying the servicing transfer notice requirements and implementing new procedures and notice requirements for borrowers’ error resolution requests and information requests. The amendments also included new provisions regarding escrow payments, force-placed insurance, general servicing policies, procedures, and requirements, early intervention, continuity of contact, and loss mitigation. The amendments became effective on January 10, 2014.

On December 31, 2013, the CFPB published final rules implementing Sections 1098(2) and 1100A(5) of the Dodd-Frank Act, which direct the CFPB to publish a single, integrated disclosure for mortgage transactions which includes mortgage disclosure requirements under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and sections 4 and 5 of RESPA. These amendments, also known as the “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule, are referred to in this document as the “TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule” or “TRID,” and are applicable to covered closed-end mortgage loans for which a creditor or mortgage broker receives an application on or after October 3, 2015. As a result, Regulation Z now houses the integrated forms, timing, and related disclosure requirements for most closed-end consumer mortgage loans.

The new integrated disclosures are not used to disclose information about reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), chattel-dwelling loans such as loans secured by a mobile home or by a dwelling that is not attached to real property (i.e., land), or other transactions not covered by the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule. The final rule also does not apply to loans made by a creditor who makes five or fewer mortgages in a year. Creditors originating these types of mortgages must continue to use, as applicable, the Good Faith Estimate, HUD-1 Settlement Statement, and Truth in Lending disclosures.

On August 4, 2016, the CFPB issued a final rule (2016 Mortgage Servicing Rule) amending certain mortgage servicing provisions in Regulation X and Regulation Z issued by the CFPB in 2013. This final rule clarifies, revises, or amends provisions regarding force-placed insurance notices, policies and procedures, early intervention, and loss mitigation requirements under Regulation X’s servicing provisions; and prompt crediting and periodic statement requirements under Regulation Z’s servicing provisions. The final rule also addresses proper compliance regarding certain servicing requirements when a person is a potential or confirmed successor in interest, is a debtor in bankruptcy, or sends a cease communication request under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The final rule also makes technical corrections to several provisions of Regulations X and Z.

The exam procedures will use “RESPA” interchangeably for Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and Regulation X, since Regulation X is the implementing regulation. All of the regulation references are to Regulation X (12 CFR 1024).

Full text of Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X) can be found here.

Associated Risks

Examination Objectives

Examination Procedures

General

  1. Review the types of loans covered by RESPA and applicable exemptions.
  2. Review the Loan Estimate, Special Information Booklet called “Your Home Loan Toolkit”, Good Faith Estimate (GFE), Uniform Settlement Statement (HUD-1 or HUD-1A), Closing Disclosure, mortgage servicing transfer disclosure, and affiliated business arrangement disclosure for compliance with the requirements of Regulation X. Review standardized and model forms in the appendices to the regulation.
  3. If electronic disclosures are provided, determine whether the credit union has policies and procedures to provide electronic delivery in accordance with the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN).
  4. Review written loan policies and operating procedures in connection with federally related mortgage loans and discuss them with credit union personnel. Determine whether the credit union has policies and procedures that address the following:
  5. Interview mortgage lending personnel to determine:
  6. Assess the overall level of knowledge and understanding of regulatory requirements by mortgage lending personnel.

Special Information Booklet – § 1024.6

  1. Determine through discussions with credit union management and reviews of credit files whether the Special Information Booklet called “Your Home Loan Toolkit”, if required, is provided within three business days after the credit union or broker receives a written application for a loan. (§ 1024.6(a)(1))

Good Faith Estimate – § 1024.7

Note: This section of the Procedures only applies to loans not subject to the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Final Rule, including: reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), chattel-dwelling loans such as loans secured by a mobile home or by a dwelling that is not attached to real property (i.e., land). This section also only applies to loans made by a creditor who makes five or fewer mortgages in a year.

  1. Determine whether the credit union provides a Good Faith Estimate of charges for settlement services, if required, within three business days after receipt of a written application. (§ 1024.7(a))
  2. Review the Good Faith Estimate to determine if it appears exactly as set forth in Appendix C.
  3. Review a sample of loan files that include GFEs to determine the following:

Uniform Settlement Statement Form (HUD-1 and HUD-1A) – § 1024.8

Note: This section of the Procedures only applies to loans not subject to the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Final Rule, including: reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), chattel-dwelling loans such as loans secured by a mobile home or by a dwelling that is not attached to real property (i.e., land). This section also only applies to loans made by a creditor who makes five or fewer mortgages in a year.

  1. Using the same sample of loan files as used for the review of the GFE, review the Uniform Settlement Statement (HUD-1 or HUD-1A, as appropriate) (§§ 1024.8, Appendix A) to determine whether:
  2. If the credit union conducts the settlement, determine whether:
  3. Determine whether, in the case of an inadvertent or technical error on the HUD-1/1A, the credit union provides a revised HUD-1/1A to the borrower within 30 calendar days after settlement. (§ 1024.8(c))
  4. Review the HUD-1 or HUD-1A form prepared in connection with each GFE reviewed to determine if the amount stated for any itemized service exceeds the amount shown on the GFE for that service. If the amount stated on the HUD-1 exceeds the amount shown on the GFE and such overcharge violates the tolerance for that category of settlement services, determine whether the credit union cured the tolerance violation by reimbursing to the borrower the amount by which the tolerance was exceeded, at settlement or within 30 calendar days from date of settlement. (§ 1024.7(i))
  5. Determine whether HUD-1 and HUD-1A forms are retained for five years. If the credit union disposes of its interest in the mortgage and does not service the loan, determine whether the HUD-1 or HUD-1A form is transferred to the new asset owner with the loan file. (§ 1024.10(e))

No Fees for RESPA Disclosures – § 1024.12

  1. Determine whether the credit union charges a fee specifically for preparing and distributing the HUD-1 forms, escrow statements or documents required under the Truth in Lending Act. (§ 1024.12)

Payment or Receipt of Referral or Unearned Fees – § 1024.14

  1. Determine if management is aware of the prohibition against payment and receipt of any fee, kickback, or thing of value in return for the referral of settlement services business. (§§ 12 U.S.C. 2607, 1024.14)
  2. Determine if management is aware of the prohibition against unearned fees where a charge for settlement services is divided between two or more parties.
  3. Through interviews with credit union management and personnel, file reviews, review of Good Faith Estimates, and HUD-1 and HUD-1A, determine if federally related mortgage loan transactions are referred to the credit union by brokers, affiliates, or other parties. Identify those parties. Also, identify persons or entities to which the credit union refers settlement services business in connection with a federally related mortgage transaction.

Affiliated Business Arrangements – § 1024.15

  1. Determine from the HUD-1 or HUD-1A and from interviews with credit union management if the credit union referred a borrower to a settlement service provider.
  2. If the credit union referred a borrower to an affiliated settlement service provider, determine whether the Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure statement (Appendix D) was provided as required by § 1024.15(b)(1).
  3. Other than an attorney, credit reporting agency, or appraiser representing the lender, if the credit union referred a borrower to a settlement service provider, determine whether the credit union required the use of the provider. (§ 1024.15(b)(2))

Purchase of Title Insurance – § 1024.16

  1. When the credit union owns the property being sold, determine whether it requires that title insurance be purchased from a particular company. (§ 1024.16)

Escrow Accounts – § 1024.17

If the credit union maintains escrow accounts in connection with a federally related mortgage loan, complete the following procedures.

  1. Determine whether the credit union performed an initial escrow analysis (§ 1024.17(c)(2)) and for transactions not covered by TRID, provided the initial escrow statement required by § 1024.17(g). The statement must contain the following:
  2. Determine if the statement was given to the borrower at settlement or within 45 days after the escrow account was established. This statement may be incorporated into the HUD-1 statement. (§§ 1024.17(g)(1) and (2))
  3. Determine whether the credit union performs an annual analysis of the escrow account. (§§ 1024.17(c)(3), 1024.17(c)(7), 1024.17(i))
  4. Determine whether the annual escrow account statement is provided to the borrower within 30 days of the end of the computation year. (§ 1024.17(i))
  5. Determine if the annual escrow statement contains the following 1024.17(i)(1)):
  6. Determine whether monthly escrow payments following settlement are within the limits of § 1024.17(c).

List of Home Ownership Counseling Organizations - § 1024.20

  1. Determine whether the credit union provides applicants a list of home ownership counseling agencies within three business days of receiving an application (§ 1024.20(a)).
  2. Determine whether the credit union obtained the list of home ownership counseling agencies from the CFPB’s or HUD’s website and that they obtained the list no more than 30 days prior to the time the list was provided to the applicant (§ 1024.20(a)).
  3. For HELOCs, determine if the credit union complies with either the three business day timeframe or with Regulation Z’s timeframe listed in § 1026.40(b) (§ 1024.20(b)).

Mortgage Servicing Transfers – § 1024.33

  1. Determine whether the disclosure form is substantially in conformity with the model disclosure in Appendix MS-1.
  2. Determine that the lender, mortgage broker who anticipates using table funding, or dealer in a first-lien dealer loan provide the servicing disclosure statement to reverse mortgage applicants within three business days after receiving the application. (§ 1024.33(a))
  3. Determine that the disclosure states whether the loan may be assigned, sold, or transferred to any person at any time. (§ 1024.33(a))
  4. Determine whether the credit union has transferred or received mortgage servicing rights.
  5. If it has transferred servicing rights, determine whether notice to the borrower was given at least 15 days prior to the transfer. (§ 1024.33(b)(3))
  6. If it has received servicing rights, determine whether notice was given to the borrower within 15 days after the transfer. (§ 1024.33(b)(3))
  7. Determine whether the notice by transferor and transferee includes the following information (§ 1024.33(b)(4)). Sample language for the notice of transfer is contained in Appendix MS-2.
  8. Through a review of late notices or otherwise if the transferor servicer received payment, determine that no late fees have been imposed and that no payments have been treated as late within 60 days following a transfer of servicing. (§ 1024.33(c))

Timely Escrow Payments and Treatment of Escrow - § 1024.34

  1. Ensure the credit union made payments from the escrow account in a timely manner. (§ 1024.34)
  2. Review escrow accounts for paid off mortgages to determine whether the credit union returned amounts remaining in escrow within 20 days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after the borrower paid the mortgage loan in full. (§ 1024.34(b))

Error Resolution Procedures – § 1024.35

  1. If the credit union gives a specific address to receive notice of errors, ensure they notified the borrower in writing that the borrower must use that address. (§ 1024.35(c))
  2. Also, ensure the credit union provided that address to the borrower in each of the following three types of communications:
  3. Determine if the credit union properly acknowledged the error notice by providing written acknowledgement to the borrower within five days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after receiving an error notice. (§ 1024.35(d))
  4. If an acknowledgment was not given, determine if it was not required for one of the following reasons:
  5. Determine if the credit union properly responded to a borrower’s written error notice by:
  6. If the credit union did not respond, ensure they determined that the above responses were not required because:
  7. Determine if the supporting documentation the credit union relied up to determine that no error occurred was provided to the borrower within 15 days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) of the borrower’s request. (§ 1024.35(e)(4))
  8. Determine if written notification was provided to the borrower within 15 days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) if the credit union withheld documents that included confidential, proprietary, or privileged information. (§ 1024.35(e)(4))
  9. Determine if one of the following three exemptions applied—nullifying the credit union’s requirement to respond: (§ 1024.35(g))
  10. Ensure the credit union did not require the borrower to provide supporting documents as a condition of investigating the alleged error. (§ 1024.35(e)(2)(i))
  11. Ensure the credit union refrained from determining that no error occurred without conducting a reasonable investigation due to the borrower’s failure to provide any requested information. (§ 1024.35(e)(2)(ii))
  12. Ensure the credit union did not charge a fee or require the borrower to make any payments as a condition to responding to an error notice. (§ 1024.35(h))
  13. Ensure the credit union did not provide any adverse information about a payment to a consumer reporting agency within 60 days of receiving an error notice on the payment. (§ 1024.35(i))

Requests for Information – § 1024.36

  1. If the credit union gave a specific address for requests for information, determine if the credit union provided written notice of the address where the borrower must send information requests, along with a statement informing the borrower that the provided address must be used to request information. (§ 1024.36(b))
  2. Determine whether the credit union provided the borrower with the address in each of the following communications:
  3. Determine whether the credit union gave the same address for receiving information requests. (§ 1024.36(b))
  4. Determine whether the credit union responds to information requests sent to any of its offices. (12 CFR Part 1024, Supp. I, Comment 1024.36(b)(1))
  5. Determine whether written acknowledgement was provided to the borrower within five days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) of the credit union receiving the information request. (§ 1024.36(c))
  6. If no such acknowledgment was provided, ensure the credit union determined that acknowledgement was not required because:
  7. Determine if the credit union properly responded to the information request by:
  8. Determine whether the credit union complied with the following time frames:
  9. If the credit union did not respond to the borrower’s request for information, determine whether the above responses were not required because:
  10. If the information requested is the identity or contact information of the owner or assignee of a mortgage loan, determine whether the credit union complied by identifying the person on whose behalf the credit union receives payments. (Comment 1024.36(a)(2))
  11. If the credit union was exempt from the requirement to respond, ensure they determined whether one of the following five exemptions applied:
  12. If a submitted request was overbroad or unduly burdensome, determine if the credit union reasonably identified a valid information request in the submission. (§ 1024.36(f)(1)(iv))
  13. Ensure the credit union did not charge a fee or require a borrower to make a payment as a condition of responding to an information request. (§ 1024.36(g))

Force-Placed Insurance – § 1024.37

  1. Ensure the credit union had a reasonable basis to believe that the borrower did not comply with the mortgage loan contract’s requirement to maintain hazard insurance (§ 1024.37(b)).
  2. Determine whether the credit union provided the initial written notice to the borrower at least 45 days before assessing a fee or charge. (§ 1024.37(c)(i))
  3. Determine that the initial notice includes all the following information (if applicable) (§ 1024.37(c)(2)):
  4. Determine if the initial notice was in the correct form. (§§ 1024.37(c)(3) to (4))
  5. Determine whether the credit union provided a reminder notice: (§ 1024.37(d)(1))
  6. For borrowers who did not provide hazard insurance information, determine whether the reminder notice: (§ 1024.37(d)(2)(i))
  7. When the credit union receives hazard insurance information but does not receive evidence of continuous coverage, determine if the reminder notice included all the following information (as applicable): (§ 1024.37(d)(2)(ii))
  8. Determine whether the reminder notice was in the correct form. (§§ 1024.37(d)(3) to (4))
  9. Determine if by the end of the 15-day period after the credit union sent the reminder notice, the borrower provided evidence of hazard insurance that complies with the loan contract continuously in place. (§§ 1024.37(c)(1)(iii), Comment 1024.37(c)(1)(iii)(2))
  10. Determine whether the credit union provided a written renewal notice to the borrower at least 45 days before assessing any fee or charge. (§ 1024.37(e)(1)(i))
  11. Ensure the renewal notice includes all of the following (as applicable): (§ 1024.37(e)(2))
  12. Determine if the renewal notice was in the correct form. (§ 1024.37(e)(3))
  13. If the credit union received evidence that the borrower had the required hazard insurance coverage in place, determine whether they performed all of the following within 15 days: (§ 1024.37(g))
  14. Ensure all fees or charges assessed on the borrower related to force-placed insurance are bona fide and reasonable (except for charges subject to state regulation and charges authorized by the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973). (§ 1024.37(h))

General Servicing Policies, Procedures, and Requirements – § 1024.38

Note: These exam procedures do not apply to “small servicers.”

  1. Determine if the credit union maintains policies and procedures to ensure they do each of the following: (§§ 1024.38(a) and (b)(1)):
  2. Determine if the policies and procedures ensure that the credit union does all of the following (§ 1024.38(b)(2)):
  3. Determine whether the credit union maintains policies and procedures for service provider oversight and compliance. (§§ 1024.38(a) and (b)(3))
  4. Determine whether these policies and procedures ensure that the credit union: (§§ 1024.38(a) and (b)(3))
  5. Determine whether the credit union has policies and procedures that inform borrowers about procedures for submitting written error notices and written information requests. (§§ 1024.38(a) and (b)(5))
  6. Determine whether these policies and procedures ensure that the credit union informs borrowers who are not satisfied with the credit union’s response to oral complaints or information requests about the procedures for submitting written error notices. (§§ 1024.35, 1024.36).
  7. Determine whether the credit union keeps mortgage records until one year after the loan is discharged or until the credit union transfers servicing for the mortgage loan to a transferee servicer. (§ 1024.38(c)(1))
  8. For documents or information created on or after January 10, 2014, determine whether the credit union keeps the following five items for each mortgage loan file in a way that allows the credit union to compile them into a servicing file within five days (§ 1024.38(c)(2)):

Early Intervention Requirements for Certain Borrowers – § 1024.39

Note: These exam procedures do not apply to “small servicers.”

  1. Determine if the credit union makes a good faith effort to establish live contact with the borrower within 36 days after each time the borrower becomes delinquent. (§ 1024.39(a))
  2. Determine if after establishing live contact, the credit union promptly informed the borrower of loss mitigation options, if appropriate (based on the credit union’s discretion). (§ 1024.39(a))
  3. Determine if the credit union sent a written notice to the borrower within 45 days after borrower became delinquent. (§ 1024.39(b)(1))
  4. Ensure the written notice includes all of the following: (§ 1024.39(b)(2))

Continuity of Contact – § 1024.40

Note: These exam procedures do not apply to “small servicers.”

  1. Ensure the credit union maintain policies and procedures to assign personnel to a delinquent borrower by the time the written early intervention notice was provided, and in any event, within 45 days after the borrower became delinquent. (§ 1024.40(a)(1))
  2. Ensure the credit union maintains policies and procedures to ensure the assigned personnel’s availability, via telephone, to answer the borrower’s questions and (as applicable) assist the borrower with available loss mitigation options until the borrower has made, without incurring a late charge, two consecutive mortgage payments according to the terms of a permanent loss mitigation agreement. (§ 1024.40(a)(2))
  3. Ensure that the credit union’s policies and procedures ensure that if a borrower contacts the assigned personnel and does not immediately receive a live response, the credit union can provide a live response in a timely manner. (§ 1024.40(a)(3))
  4. Determine whether the assigned personnel can perform all of the following tasks: (§ 1024.40(b))

Loss Mitigation Procedures – § 1024.41

Note: These exam procedures do not apply to “small servicers.”

  1. Interview credit union personnel to determine whether they understand the required loss mitigation procedures. Ensure they are aware that these only apply to loans secured by the borrower’s principal residence and not to reverse mortgage loans.
  2. Ensure that if the credit union received a complete application, they provided acknowledgement to the borrower within five days (excluding legal public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) after receiving the loss mitigation application.
  3. Ensure the written acknowledgement includes all of the following: (§ 1024.41(b)(2))
  4. Upon discovering that additional information or corrected documents were required to complete the application, ensure the credit union does the following: (§ 1024.41(c)(2)(iv))
  5. If the credit union receives a completed loss mitigation application more than 37 days before a foreclosure sale, then within 30 days, ensure the credit union:
  6. Determine whether the credit union exercised reasonable diligence in obtaining documents and information to complete the application (§ 1024.41(b)(1)).
  7. If the credit union offered the borrower a short term forbearance plan based upon information contained in an incomplete loss mitigation application, and the borrower is performing under the plan, ensure the credit union refrained from any one of the following: (§ 1024.41(c)(2)(iii))
  8. If an application was facially complete, but later the servicer requested additional needed information, ensure the credit union treated the borrower’s application as complete for purposes of § 1024.41(f)(2) (“Application received before foreclosure referral”) and § 1024.41(g) (“Prohibition on foreclosure sale”) until the borrower was given a reasonable opportunity to submit additional information or corrected documents. (§ 1024.41(c)(2)(iv)).
  9. Review denied loss mitigation applications. Determine if the credit union sent a notice stating the specific reason or reasons for the denial, and, if applicable, that the borrower was not evaluated on other criteria. (§ 1024.41(d))
  10. If the credit union offered a loss mitigation option and received the complete application at least 90 days before a foreclosure sale, determine if they provided the borrower with at least 14 days to accept or reject any offered loan modification option after the servicer notified the borrower about the offer. (§ 1024.41(e))
  11. If the credit union offered a loss mitigation option and received the complete application fewer than 90 days before a foreclosure sale but more than 37 days before the sale, ensure the credit union provided the borrower with at least 7 days to accept or reject any offered loss mitigation options after the servicer notified the borrower about the offer. (§ 1024.41(e)(1))
  12. If the credit union offered a borrower a trial modification plan and the borrower did not respond within seven or 14 days determine if the credit union:
  13. To extend the acceptance period, if within 14 days, determine if the credit union allowed the borrower to appeal a denial of any loan modification option. (§ 1024.41(e)(2)(iii))
  14. In the event of an appeal, ensure the borrower’s time for acceptance was extended to 14 days after the credit union provided a notice of its determination of the appeal under § 1024.41(e)(2)(iii).
  15. Ensure the borrower meet any one of these conditions prior to the credit union making any first judicial or non-judicial foreclosure notices or filings: (§ 1024.41(f)(1))
  16. For applications received during a pre-foreclosure period, determine if the credit union made the first foreclosure notice or filing only after any of the following: (§ 1024.41(f)(2))
  17. Ensure the credit union refrained from improperly conducting a foreclosure sale or moving for foreclosure judgment before any of the following: (§ 1024.41(g))

Rules for Small Servicers

  1. Determine if the credit union refrains from making the first foreclosure notice or filing before the borrower is more than 120 days delinquent, unless the foreclosure is based on a borrower’s violation of a due-on-sale clause or the servicer is joining a subordinate lienholder’s foreclosure action. (§ 1024.41(j))

Review Considerations

RESPA applies to “federally-related mortgage

loans,” which includes, for example, any loan:

Note: An installment sales contract, land contract,

or contract for deed may also constitute a federally related mortgage loan.

Provide loan applicants with the Special Information Booklet called “Your Home Loan Toolkit”, describing the nature and costs of settlement services.

Note: If a borrower uses a mortgage broker, the mortgage broker must provide the booklet and the lender need not do so.

In the case of open-end credit plan (HELOCs) subject to Regulation Z, a lender should provide brochure entitled “When Your Home is on the Line: What You Should Know About Home Equity Lines of Credit” instead of the booklet.

No booklet required for:

For transactions not covered by TRID or otherwise noted, provide loan applicants with GFE showing loan information and categories of settlement charges the borrower is likely to incur for the settlement. This document should be prepared according to the regulatory requirements. If the borrower is allowed to shop for third-party settlement services, the loan originator must provide the borrower with a written list of settlement services providers at the time of the GFE, on a separate sheet of paper.

Mortgage brokers and dealer loans:

If mortgage broker provides GFE, lender need not, but lender is bound by disclosures on GFE provided by broker.

In the case of dealer loans, lender must provide GFE or ensure that the dealer provides it.

For open-end lines of credit (home equity plans) covered under Regulation Z, no GFE need be given if disclosures required by § 1026.40 are provided to borrower.

Revised GFE may be given when “changed circumstances” or “borrower-requested changes” cause charges to increase.

May not require, as a condition of providing GFE, that applicant submit documentation to verify application.

Other than for transactions covered by TRID or otherwise noted, a HUD-1 or HUD-1A (if no seller involved) Settlement Statement must be used in every settlement involving a federally related mortgage loan, setting charges in categories to match the GFE for all charges imposed on borrower and seller by the lender. The HUD-1 or HUD-1A must be completed according to the instructions in Appendix A of Regulation X.

Charges on HUD-1 or HUD-1A must not exceed those on GFE beyond application tolerances; if not, the lender must refund the excess to the borrower.

The HUD-1 or HUD-1A is not required for

open-end lines of credit (home equity plans) covered by the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z.

No fee can be charged by a lender for preparing

the HUD-1 or HUD-1A Settlement Statement, escrow account statements, or required Truth-in-

Ensure that the prohibition against kickbacks and

fee-splits regarding settlement services is accurately reflected in the policy statement and is adhered to by all personnel involved in originating or processing federally-related mortgage loans.

No referral fees.

No splitting charges except for actual services performed. (See § 1024.14)

Note regulatory exemptions for: