TITLE 7 BANKING AND FINANCE

Section 1. Financial Institutions, 7-1-1 through 7-1-1021.

ARTICLE 13 LICENSING OF MORTGAGE LENDERS AND MORTGAGE BROKERS

7-1-1014. Regulations governing disclosure required to applicants for mortgage loans.

In addition to such other rules, regulations, and policies as the department may promulgate to effectuate the purposes of this article, the department shall promulgate regulations governing the disclosure required to be made to applicants for mortgage loans, including, without limitation, the following requirements:

1. Any person required to be licensed or registered under this article shall provide to each applicant for a mortgage loan prior to accepting an application fee or any third-party fee such as a property appraisal fee, credit report fee, or any other similar fee a disclosure of the fees payable and the conditions under which such fees may be refundable;
2. Any mortgage lender required to be licensed or registered under this article shall make available to each applicant for a mortgage loan at or before the time a commitment to make a mortgage loan is given a written disclosure of the fees to be paid in connection with the commitment and the loan, or the manner in which such fees shall be determined and the conditions under which such fees may be refundable; and
3. Any mortgage lender required to be licensed or registered under this article shall disclose to each borrower of a mortgage loan that failure to meet every condition of the mortgage loan may result in the loss of the borrower's property through foreclosure. The borrower shall be required to sign the disclosure at or before the time of the closing of the mortgage loan.

   The department may prescribe standards regarding the accuracy of required disclosures and may provide for applicable administrative or civil penalties or fines for failure to provide the disclosures or to meet the prescribed standards.

(Code 1981, §7-1-1014, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 543, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 570, § 10; Ga. L. 2001, p. 970, § 16; Ga. L. 2009, p. 252, § 1/HB 312.)