2943. Copy of Note and Mortgage Statement Is Mandatory on Written Demand - Maximum Charge/Minimum Content Prescribed

Copy of Note and Mortgage Statement Is Mandatory on Written Demand - Maximum Charge/Minimum Content Prescribed
2943. (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Beneficiary" means a mortgagee or beneficiary of a mortgage or deed of trust, or his or her assignees.

(2) "Beneficiary statement" means a written statement showing:

(A) The amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the mortgage or deed of trust and the interest rate, together with the total amounts, if any, of all overdue installments of either principal or interest, or both.

(B) The amounts of periodic payments, if any.

(C) The date on which the obligation is due in whole or in part.

(D) The date to which real estate taxes and special assessments have been paid to the extent the information is known to the beneficiary.

(E) The amount of hazard insurance in effect and the term and premium of that insurance to the extent the information is known to the beneficiary. (F) The amount in an account, if any, maintained for the accumulation of funds with which to pay taxes and insurance premiums.

(G) The nature and, if known, the amount of any additional charges, costs, or expenses paid or incurred by the beneficiary which have become a lien on the real property involved.

(H) Whether the obligation secured by the mortgage or deed of trust can or may be transferred to a new borrower.

(3) "Delivery" means depositing or causing to be deposited in the United States mail an envelope with postage prepaid, containing a copy of the document to be delivered, addressed to the person whose name and address is set forth in the demand therefor. The document may also be transmitted by facsimile machine to the person whose name and address is set forth in the demand therefor.

(4) "Entitled person" means the trustor or mortgagor of, or his or her successor in interest in, the mortgaged or trust property or any part thereof, any beneficiary under a deed of trust, any person having a subordinate lien or encumbrance of record thereon, the escrowholder licensed as an agent pursuant to Division 6 (commencing with Section 17000) of the Financial Code, or the party exempt by virtue of Section 17006 of the Financial Code who is acting as the escrowholder.

(5) "Payoff demand statement" means a written statement, prepared in response to a written demand made by an entitled person or authorized agent, setting forth the amounts required as of the date of preparation by the beneficiary, to fully satisfy all obligations secured by the loan that is the subject of the payoff demand statement. The written statement shall include information reasonably necessary to calculate the payoff amount on a per diem basis for the period of time, not to exceed 30 days, during which the per diem amount is not changed by the terms of the note.

(b) (1) A beneficiary, or his or her authorized agent, shall, within 21 days of the receipt of a written demand by an entitled person or his or her authorized agent, prepare and deliver to the person demanding it a true, correct, and complete copy of the note or other evidence of indebtedness with any modification thereto, and a beneficiary statement.

(2) A request pursuant to this subdivision may be made by an entitled person or his or her authorized agent at any time before, or within two months after, the recording of a notice of default under a mortgage or deed of trust, or may otherwise be made more than 30 days prior to the entry of the decree of foreclosure.

(c) A beneficiary, or his or her authorized agent, shall, on the written demand of an entitled person, or his or her authorized agent, prepare and deliver a payoff demand statement to the person demanding it within 21 days of the receipt of the demand. However, if the loan is subject to a recorded notice of default or a filed complaint commencing a judicial foreclosure, the beneficiary shall have no obligation to prepare and deliver this statement as prescribed unless the written demand is received prior to the first publication of a notice of sale or the notice of the first date of sale established by a court.

(d) (1) A beneficiary statement or payoff demand statement may be relied upon by the entitled person or his or her authorized agent in accordance with its terms, including with respect to the payoff demand statement reliance for the purpose of establishing the amount necessary to pay the obligation in full. If the beneficiary notifies the entitled person or his or her authorized agent of any amendment to the statement, then the amended statement may be relied upon by the entitled person or his or her authorized agent as provided in this subdivision.

(2) If notification of any amendment to the statement is not given in writing, then a written amendment to the statement shall be delivered to the entitled person or his or her authorized agent no later than the next business day after notification.

(3) Upon the dates specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) any sums that were due and for any reason not included in the statement or amended statement shall continue to be recoverable by the beneficiary as an unsecured obligation of the obligor pursuant to the terms of the note and existing provisions of law.

(A) If the transaction is voluntary, the entitled party or his or her authorized agent may rely upon the statement or amended statement upon the earlier of (i) the close of escrow, (ii) transfer of title, or (iii) recordation of a lien.

(B) If the loan is subject to a recorded notice of default or a filed complaint commencing a judicial foreclosure, the entitled party or his or her authorized agent may rely upon the statement or amended statement upon the acceptance of the last and highest bid at a trustee's sale or a court supervised sale.

(e) The following provisions apply to a demand for either a beneficiary statement or a payoff demand statement:

(1) If an entitled person or his or her authorized agent requests a statement pursuant to this section

and does not specify a beneficiary statement or a payoff demand statement the beneficiary shall treat the request as a request for a payoff demand statement.

(2) If the entitled person or the entitled person's authorized agent includes in the written demand a specific request for a copy of the deed of trust or mortgage, it shall be furnished with the written statement at no additional charge.

(3) The beneficiary may, before delivering a statement, require reasonable proof that the person making the demand is, in fact, an entitled person or an authorized agent of an entitled person, in which event the beneficiary shall not be subject to the penalties of this section until 21 days after receipt of the proof herein provided for. A statement in writing signed by the entitled person appointing an authorized agent when delivered personally to the beneficiary or delivered by registered return receipt mail shall constitute reasonable proof as to the identity of an agent. Similar delivery of a policy of title insurance, preliminary report issued by a title company, original or photographic copy of a grant deed or certified copy of letters testamentary, guardianship, or conservatorship shall constitute reasonable proof as to the identity of a successor in interest, provided the person demanding a statement is named as successor in interest in the document.

(4) If a beneficiary for a period of 21 days after receipt of the written demand willfully fails to prepare and deliver the statement, he or she is liable to the entitled person for all damages which he or she may sustain by reason of the refusal and, whether or not actual damages are sustained, he or she shall forfeit to the entitled person the sum of three hundred dollars ($300). Each failure to prepare and deliver the statement, occurring at a time when, pursuant to this section, the beneficiary is required to prepare and deliver the statement, creates a separate cause of action, but a judgment awarding an entitled person a forfeiture, or damages and forfeiture, for any failure to prepare and deliver a statement bars recovery of damages and forfeiture for any other failure to prepare and deliver a statement, with respect to the same obligation, in compliance with a demand therefor made within six months before or after the demand as to which the award was made. For the purposes of this subdivision, "willfully" means an intentional failure to comply with the requirements of this section without just cause or excuse.

(5) If the beneficiary has more than one branch, office, or other place of business, then the demand shall be made to the branch or office address set forth in the payment billing notice or payment book, and the statement, unless it specifies otherwise, shall be deemed to apply only to the unpaid balance of the single obligation named in the request and secured by the mortgage or deed of trust which is payable at the branch or office whose address appears on the aforesaid billing notice or payment book.

(6) The beneficiary may make a charge not to exceed thirty dollars ($30) for furnishing each required statement. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to mortgages or deeds of trust insured by the Federal Housing Administrator or guaranteed by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs.

(f) The preparation and delivery of a beneficiary statement or a payoff demand statement pursuant to this section shall not change a date of sale established pursuant to Section 2924g.

(g) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2014.

Equity Line of Credit - Payoff Demand Statement 2943.1. (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Beneficiary” has the same meaning as defined in Section 2943.

(2) “Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit” means the instruction described in subdivision (c), signed by the borrower or borrowers under an equity line of credit.

(3) “Entitled person” has the same meaning as defined in Section 2943.

(4) “Equity line of credit” means a revolving line of credit used for consumer purposes, which is secured by a mortgage or deed of trust encumbering residential real property consisting of one to four dwelling units, at least one of which is occupied by the borrower.

(5) “Payoff demand statement” has the same meaning as defined in Section 2943.

(6) “Suspend” means to prohibit the borrower from drawing on, increasing, or incurring any additional principal debt on the equity line of credit.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 2943, a payoff demand statement issued by a beneficiary in connection with an equity line of credit shall include an email address, fax number, or mailing

address designated by the beneficiary for delivery of the Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit by the entitled person.

(c) Upon receipt from an entitled person of a Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit, that has been prepared and presented to the borrower by the entitled person and signed by a borrower, a beneficiary shall suspend the equity line of credit for a minimum of 30 days. A Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit shall be effective if made substantially in the following form and signed by the borrower:

“Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit
Lender:[Name of Lender]
Borrower(s):[Name of Borrower(s)]
Account Number of the Equity Line of Credit:[Account Number]
Encumbered Property Address:[Property Address]
Escrow or Settlement Agent:[Name of Agent]:

In connection with a sale or refinance of the abovereferenced property, my Escrow or Settlement Agent has requested a payoff demand statement for the abovedescribed equity line of credit. I understand my ability to use this equity line of credit has been suspended for at least 30 days to accommodate this pending transaction. I understand that I cannot use any credit cards, debit cards, or checks associated with this equity line of credit while it is suspended and all amounts will be due and payable upon close of escrow. I also understand that when payment is made in accordance with the payoff demand statement, my equity line of credit will be closed. If any amounts remain due after the payment is made, I understand I will remain personally liable for those amounts even if the equity line of credit has been closed and the property released.

This is my written authorization and instruction that you are to close my equity line of credit and cause the secured lien against this property to be released when you are in receipt of both this instruction and payment in accordance with your payoff demand statement.

(Date)

(Signature of Each Borrower)”

(d) When a beneficiary is in receipt of both a Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit and payment in accordance with the payoff demand statement as set forth in Section 2943, the beneficiary shall do all of the following:

(1) Close the equity line of credit.

(2) Release or reconvey the property securing the equity line of credit, as provided by this chapter.

(e) The beneficiary may conclusively rely on the Borrower’s Instruction to Suspend and Close Equity Line of Credit provided by the entitled person as coming from the borrower.

(f) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2015.