Sending RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) letters to the company you pay your mortgage payment (your “mortgage servicer”) is an overlooked but very powerful way to get information and correct errors.
Dealing with mortgage servicers is not easy even when you make every single monthly payment on time. If you happen to make partial payments, have an escrow account or a suspense account things can get very confusing very quickly. Mortgage servicers are known to make all different kinds of errors and hide information from you. Especially if you are falling behind or trying to do loss mitigation.
Be sure to send the letter to the “designated address” for QWRs, NOEs or RFIs.
What are RESPA letters
These used to be called “Qualified Written Request” letters or “QWR” letters but now we normally call them by their new names.
RFI — request for information.
NOE — notice of error.
They are what their names suggest. The RFI is when you need information related to the servicing of your mortgage.
The NOE is when you suspect or know there is an error in the servicing of your mortgage. Be sure to explain the reason you think there is an error.
If your mortgage company does not give you the valid information you requested — or does not fix the errors you point out to them — then you may be able to sue under RESPA and get money damages, attorney’s fees, and get other relief in court.