InfoBytes Blog
CFPB Announces First RESPA Enforcement Actions
On April 4, the CFPB announced enforcement actions against four mortgage insurers against which it filed complaints alleging that their captive reinsurance arrangements with mortgage lenders violated Section 8 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). The actions are the first public actions the CFPB has taken to enforce RESPA, and follow investigations started by HUD and transferred to the CFPB in July 2011. The insurers did not admit the allegations but agreed to pay a combined $15.4 million to end the investigations. The consent orders also (i) prohibit the insurers from entering into any new captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements with mortgage lenders or their affiliates, and from obtaining captive reinsurance on any new mortgages, for a period of ten years, (ii) require the insurers to forfeit any right to the funds not directly related to collecting on reinsurance claims in connection with pre-existing reinsurance arrangements, and (iii) subject the insurers to compliance monitoring and reporting. The orders must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida before taking effect.