The mortgage industry as a whole is struggling to comply with consumer protection laws. A remarkable report published by the FDIC Office of the Inspector General reveals that during 2005 (which was the peak year of the mortgage boom measured by number of loans originated), 83% of federally supervised banks that made loans were cited for patterns of "significant compliance violations." The percentage was presumably higher for state-licensed, non-depository lenders who were responsible for originating 52% of subprime mortgages and are subject to a much broader patchwork of state regulation. Violations of consumer protection laws can result in rescission (effectively canceling the loan), defense against foreclosure, fines, penalties and (both civil and criminal) damages that can exceed the original principal balance of the loan. You may download the report (Report Number 06-024) from the FDIC website.

There are also additional reputational risks associated with charges of predatory and discriminatory lending. Investors - including anyone in the chain of title for whole loans and the securitization trust for securities - can be liable, even though the violator was the broker or originating lender. In other words, the investor can be held liable and suffer damages for actions outside its control and for which had no knowledge.

It is important to understand that any number of laws may apply to a particular mortgage transaction. Knowing which laws apply is not a simple task, since It this depends on how the lender is licensed or chartered. Licensed lenders operate under the licensing authorities of the various states with which they do business. Most states have multiple licenses granting lenders the authority to make loans. Each such license imposes different substantive requirements governing loan terms. For instance, certain licenses allow subordinate lien loans while others govern loans with higher interest rates.

In some states, more than one license may authorize lenders to make the same loan, although subtle differences in the consumer protection requirements apply to the loan terms. CFLA determines if lenders and brokers are properly licensed (and in good standing) or exempt, and then applies the correct laws based on that licensing status. It does this by leveraging its proprietary nationwide licensing database, described in the License Verification and Monitoring section of this site.