Consumer agency advances rule to protect mortgage borrowers from unexpected costs, bad service
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They have faced withering criticism for practices including charging excessive fees, foreclosing without completing the required paperwork and failing to help people stay in their homes by changing their loan terms.

Under the rules, companies would be required to provide billing statements that explain how much of a payment is going to pay down principal, how much to interest and how much to fees. If an interest rate was set to adjust, the borrower would receive an early estimate of the new payment amount. That would allow people to consider refinancing if they don't like the new rates.

The rules also help guarantee that borrowers aren't forced to pay excessively premiums on homeowners' insurance that servicers require them to carry. In the past, servicers tacked on insurance when they believed someone's coverage had lapsed. The premiums could be several times bigger than on a typical policy.


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