California - Mortgage Complaints

Although the Department of Real Estate has jurisdiction over certain licensees engaged in mortgage loan brokering, we routinely receive calls concerning many areas in which we have no enforcement authority. These include the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA & Regulation Z), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) to name a few. We also receive calls with questions regarding mortgage brokers or lenders’ holding a California Finance Lender’s License (CFL) or a Residential Mortgage Lender’s License (RML) which are issued and regulated by the California Department of Corporations. For problems or complaints related to loan servicing, please see our loan servicing information under FAQ’s on our home page.

Following is a list of resources to which you may contact for information regarding the above laws, regulations, and other issues over which the Department of Real Estate has no jurisdiction.

FEDERAL AGENCIES

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FTC has enforcement authority in the case of mortgage companies for the following laws:

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (interpretive questions may be addressed to the Federal Reserved Board (FRB))
Fair Credit Reporting Act
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Truth in Lending Act (interpretive questions may be addressed to the Federal Reserved Board) (Note that this act includes Regulation Z and "Section 32" loan disclosure requirements)

Web site: http://www.ftc.gov
Telephone: (877) 382-HELP (4357)

FTC Headquarters/Financial Services Division
6th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20580
(202) 326-3224

FTC Regional Offices
901 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

FTC Regional Offices
11000 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Federal Reserve Board (FRB)

Persons with questions about the meaning of any Regulation Z provision under the Truth in Lending Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, or the Equal Credit Opportunity Act may request formal board or unofficial staff interpretation. The questions should be addressed to:

Director of the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20551
(202) 452-3667

Web site: http://www.federalreserve.gov

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

HUD has administrative authority for, among others, the following acts:

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)

Department of Housing and Urban Development
RESPA Division
451 7th Street SW, Suite 9146
Washington, DC 20410
(202) 708-0502

Web site: http://www.hud.gov

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

The OCC administers in whole or in part, and has enforcement authority over national banks for the following Acts:

Community Reinvestment Act
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
Fair Credit Reporting Act
Fair Housing Act
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
Truth in Lending Act

For information regarding the consumer laws, contact the OCC at:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
150 E. Street, SW, Mail Stop 7-8

Washington, D.C. 20219
(202) 874-4428

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Western District Office
50 Fremont Street, Suite 3900
San Francisco, CA 94105-2292
(415) 545-5900

Web site: http://www.occ.treas.gov

Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS)

OTS administers in whole or in part and has enforcement authority over federally-chartered and state-chartered savings institutions for the following Acts:

Community Reinvestment Act
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
Fair Credit Reporting Act
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Fair Housing Act
Home Mortgage Disclosure
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
Truth in Lending Act

For information regarding the consumer laws, contact:

Office of Thrift Supervision
1700 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20552,

(202) 906-6000

Office of Thrift Supervision
Pacific Plaza
2001 Junipero Serra Blvd., Suite 650
Daly City, CA 94101-1976
(650) 746-7000

Web site: http://www.ots.treas.gov

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Regulates federally insured banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve System.

Division of Compliance and Consumer Affairs
550 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20249
(202) 942-3100
1-800-934-FDIC
Email: consumer@fdic.gov

Web site: http://www.fdic.gov

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

Regulates federal credit unions.

1775 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-3428
(703) 518-6300

Web site: http://www.ncua.gov

STATE AGENCIES

Department of Corporations (DOC)

DOC, among other things, has enforcement authority over the following laws:

California Residential Mortgage Lending Act – This act regulates the activities of Residential Mortgage Lenders or RML licensees.
California Finance Lenders Law – This law regulates the activities of California Finance Lenders or CFLs.
Escrow Law – This law regulates the activities of independent escrow companies.

The status of an RML or CFL license may be verified through the DOC Web site.

Department of Corporations
Consumer Service Office
1515 K Street, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95817
(866) ASK-CORP (866-275-2677)

Web site: http://www.corp.ca.gov

Contractors State License Board (CSLB)

The CSLB licenses and regulates contractors in more than 40 license classifications that constitute the construction industry. The CSLB also registers home improvement salespersons, and offers arbitration for resolution of disputes that meet certain criteria. The CSLB Web site provides much consumer information and can be used to verify the license status of a contractor.

Contractors License Board
9821 Business Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826
Information Technicians: (916) 255-3900
24-Hour Licensing and Consumer Information: (800) 321-2752

Web site: http://www.cslb.ca.gov

Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB)

SPCB licenses and regulates pest control operators. The SPCB Web site provides much consumer information and can be used to verify the license status of a pest control operator.

Structural Pest Control Board
1418 Howe Avenue, Suite 18
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 263-2540

Web site: http://www.dca.ca.gov/pestboard

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)

CalHFA’s mission is to finance below-market rate loans to create safe, decent, and affordable rental housing and to assist first-time home buyers in achieving the dream of home-ownership. CalHFA assists low and moderate-income home buyers in the realization of their goal of home-ownership in California. CalHFA offers below market interest rate 30 year fixed loans to first-time buyers who meet the income and sales price limits for the County in which they wish to purchase.

Sacramento Headquarters
1121 L Street, 7th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814,

(916) 342-1250

Los Angeles Office
100 Corporate Pointe, Suite 250
Culver City, CA 90230,
(310) 342-1250

Web site: http://www.calhfa.ca.gov

Office of Real Estate Appraisers (OREA)

OREA licenses real estate appraisers and ensures adherence to the national Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), California Law and regulations. They also investigate complaints against appraisers. The OREA Web site provides much consumer information and can be used to verify the license status of an appraiser.

Office of Real Estate Appraisers
1102 Q Street, Suite 4100
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 552-9000 or (916) 447-7878

Web site: http://www.orea.ca.gov

Department of Insurance (CDI)

The Department of Insurance, among other things, licenses and regulates California title insurance companies that issue policies of title insurance and may conduct escrow activities.

Department of Insurance
Consumer Communications Bureau
300 South Spring Street, South Tower
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(800) 927-4357

Web site: http://www.insurance.ca.gov

ADDITIONAL STATE AGENCIES

Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)

DFI licenses and regulates state-chartered banks, credit unions, and savings and loans; foreign banks; business & industrial development corporations; issuers of travelers checks and money orders.

300 S. Spring Street, Suite 15513
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1204

801 K Street, Suite 2124
Sacramento, CA 95814

Web site: http://www.dfi.ca.gov

Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)

Among other things, the Department of Consumer Affairs may offer advice and/or assistance to landlords and/or tenants wishing to obtain information regarding their rights and obligations.

Department of Consumer Affairs
Landlord/Tenant Hotline - (800) 344-9940

Web site: http://www.dca.ca.gov

Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)

Among other things, DFEH may investigate and/or resolve complaints of unlawful discrimination in housing or lending practices.

Department of Consumer Affairs
611 West 6th Street, Suite 1510
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(800) 233-3212

Web site: http://www.dfeh.ca.gov

OTHER RESOURCES

National Association Of Property Inspectors (NAPI)

303 W. Cypress
San Antonio, TX 78212
(800) 486-3676

Web site: http://napi.lincoln-grad.org

American Homeowners Resource Center (Homeowners Associations)

(714) 492-5691