N.J. Admin. Code § 3:1-16.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 3:1-16.3 - Application process

(a) Before a lender or broker accepts any application fee in whole or in part, any credit report fee, appraisal fee or any fee charges as reimbursement for third party fees, the lender or broker shall make written disclosure to the borrower (which disclosure may be contained in the application) as required by this section or 3:1-16.1 0, respectively, setting forth:

1. A description and the amount of each such fee;

2. Whether all or any part of such fees are refundable;

3. The terms and conditions for the refund, if all or any part of the fees are refundable, provided that, where applicable, the terms and conditions may be disclosed by making reference to these rules with proper citation;

4. A realistic estimate of the number of calendar days required to issue a commitment following receipt of such fees by the lender. If the lender subsequently determines that the estimate is unrealistic, it may return the application and all fees paid and offer the borrower the opportunity to reapply subject to a new estimate;

5. The name or title of a person within the lender's organization to whom the borrower may address written questions, comments, or complaints and who will be required to promptly respond to such inquiries; and

6. For correspondent mortgage lenders, a statement indicating that the licensee is a correspondent mortgage lender and as such does not hold mortgage loans or service mortgage loans for more than 90 days in the regular course of business.

(b) The disclosures required in (a) above shall be acknowledged in writing by the borrower and maintained by the lender or broker and a copy of such acknowledgment shall be given to the borrower.

(c) Except where explicitly authorized to return an application, or for other reasons consistent with due diligence, a lender is obligated to process an application submitted to it and to exert conscientious effort to either grant or deny the application within the realistic estimate disclosed as required in (a) above.

(d) Not later than three business days after the lender receives the borrower's application, or before closing of the loan, whichever is earlier, the lender shall provide the borrower with a good faith estimate as a dollar amount or range of each fee for a settlement service which the borrower is likely to incur.

1. For the purpose of this subsection, "settlement service" shall mean a service related to the origination, processing, or closing of a mortgage loan, and for which the lender anticipates the borrower will pay a fee at or before settlement based upon the lender's general experience.

2. With respect to the settlement service fees imposed on a borrower by the lender (and not by third parties), the lender shall indicate which, if any, of such fees are refundable in whole or in part and the terms and conditions for such refund.

3. Good faith estimates of fees for settlement services which are made pursuant to, and conform to, Federal Regulation X shall satisfy the disclosure requirement of this subsection, provided that the lender also makes the disclosures required by (d)2 above.

(e) The borrower may, without penalty or responsibility to pay additional fees, withdraw an application at any time prior to acceptance of a commitment. Upon such withdrawal, the lender or broker shall be responsible to refund to the borrower only those fees to which the borrower may be entitled pursuant to the terms set forth in the written disclosure required by (a) above, except that:

1. Where the lender or broker has failed to provide the borrower with the written disclosure required by (a) above, the lender or broker shall promptly refund to the borrower all funds paid to the lender or broker;

2. Where the lender has failed to issue a commitment or justifiable credit denial and its realistic estimate of the time needed to do so has expired through no substantial fault of the borrower and the borrower has withdrawn his or her application as a result, the lender shall promptly refund to the borrower all funds paid to the lender;

3. Where an application is denied, or a commitment is issued on terms and conditions substantially dissimilar to those for which the application was submitted and which are unacceptable to the borrower, for reasons (other than bona fide underwriting considerations) which the lender knew or should have known at the time of application from the facts disclosed on the face of the application, the lender shall promptly refund to the borrower all funds paid to the lender. For purposes of this paragraph, a commitment is issued on terms and conditions which are "substantially dissimilar" to those for which the application was submitted if the interest rate, discount points or commitment fee as set forth in the commitment is higher than, or the term of the loan as set forth in the commitment is different than, the corresponding terms of the loan for which application was made.

N.J. Admin. Code § 3:1-16.3

Amended by R.1992 d.149, effective 4/6/1992 (Operative for Federally-chartered financial institutions is June 5, 1992).
See: 23 N.J.R. 2613(b), 24 N.J.R. 3(a), 24 N.J.R. 1380(a).
Amended by R.1993 d.423, effective 9/7/1993.
See: 25 N.J.R. 2625(b), 25 N.J.R. 4063(b).
Amended by R.2001 d.112, effective 4/2/2001.
See: 33 N.J.R. 213(a), 33 N.J.R. 1087(a).
In (a)6, inserted "correspondent" preceding references to mortgage bankers throughout and deleted "non-servicing" throughout.
Amended by R.2010 d.129, effective 6/21/2010 (operative July 31, 2010).
See: 41 N.J.R. 2829(a), 42 N.J.R. 1139(b).
In (a)6, substituted "lenders" for "bankers" and "lender" for "banker".