California Senate Bill SB153 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: SB 153INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Huff FEBRUARY 2, 2015 An act to amend Section 2945 of the Civil Code, relating to mortgage foreclosure consultants. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 153, as introduced, Huff. Mortgage foreclosure consultants. Existing law defines mortgage foreclosure consultants and regulates their activities. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature to protect homeowners who are in the process of foreclosure from abuses and fraudulent practices by foreclosure consultants. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 2945 of the Civil Code is amended to read: 2945. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that homeowners whose residences are in foreclosure are subject to fraud, deception, harassment, and unfair dealing by foreclosure consultants from the time a Notice of Default is recorded pursuant to Section 2924 until the time surplus funds from any foreclosure sale are distributed to the homeowner or his or her successor. Foreclosure consultants represent that they can assist homeowners who have defaulted on obligations secured by their residences. These foreclosure consultants, however, often charge high fees, the payment of which is often secured by a deed of trust on the residence to be saved, and perform no service or essentially a worthless service. Homeowners, relying on the foreclosure consultants' promises of help, take no other action, are diverted from lawful businesses which could render beneficial services, and often lose their homes, sometimes to the foreclosure consultants who purchase homes at a fraction of their value before the sale. Vulnerable homeowners are increasingly relying on the services of foreclosure consultants who advise the homeowner that the foreclosure consultant can obtain the remaining funds from the foreclosure sale if the homeowner executes an assignment of the surplus, a deed, or a power of attorney in favor of the foreclosure consultant. This results in the homeowner paying an exorbitant fee for a service when the homeowner could have obtained the remaining funds from the trustee's sale from the trustee directly for minimal cost if the homeowner had consulted legal counsel or had sufficient time to receive notices from the trustee pursuant to Section 2924j regarding how and where to make a claim for excess proceeds. (b) The Legislature further finds and declares that foreclosure consultants have a significant impact on the economy of this state and on the welfare of its citizens. (c) The intent and purposes of this article are the following: (1) To require that foreclosure consultant service agreements be expressed in  writing; to   writing.   (2)    To  safeguard the public against deceit and financial  hardship; to   hardship.   (3)     To  permit rescission of foreclosure consultation  contracts; to   contracts.   (4)     To  prohibit representations that tend to  mislead; and to   mislead.   (5)     To  encourage fair dealing in the rendition of foreclosure services.  (2)   (d)  The provisions of this article shall be liberally construed to effectuate this intent and to achieve these purposes.