One man's win, his foreclosure on Wells Fargo
Posted by Michele Newsom on Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Philadelphia homeowner started foreclosure proceedings on a Wells
Fargo mortgage office after winning a rather strange legal judgement
against the bank.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/patrick-rodgers-forecloses-on-wells-fargo_n_824765.html
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/rmra/res/respa_hm.cfm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/patrick-rodgers-forecloses-on-wells-fargo_n_824765.html
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rodgers discovered the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, which requires mortgage companies to acknowledge written requests within 20 business days or face penalties. He took Wells Fargo to court, winning a default judgement because the bank didn't show up in court.
Passed in 1974 to protect borrowers, RESPA stipulates a standard complain letter that can be sent to lenders. (For more information on RESPA, check out the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's website here.)
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/rmra/res/respa_hm.cfm