2026-08-13
Added · Updated
This Settlement Agreement and Consent Order resolves findings from a multi-state mortgage loan servicing examination of NewRez LLC, which identified noncompliance with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and Regulation X regarding lender-placed insurance (LPI). NewRez will pay a monetary settlement of $15,500,000, comprising an administrative penalty, administrative costs, and a credit for consumer remediation, due within 30 days of the Effective Date. NewRez must also implement enhanced servicing review standards within 90 days, including monthly testing of LPI placement for one year, and conduct a self-audit for LPI errors from January 1, 2023, through the Effective Date, refunding affected borrowers for any erroneously placed LPI. In exchange, the Participating States release NewRez from civil or administrative claims related to the identified LPI conduct between November 1, 2020, and the Effective Date.
DOBS published 3 documents in the last 30 days — get each new one by email the day it lands.
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
AND CONSENT ORDER NEWREZ LLC
WHEREAS, NewRez LLC (“NewRez” or “Servicer”) is a Delaware limited liability company with headquarters located at 1100 Virginia Drive, Suite 125, Fort Washington, PA 19034- 3275, and has an assigned Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (“NMLS”) identifier number of 3013. WHEREAS, the States, listed in “Appendix A” attached to this Settlement Agreement and Consent Order (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”), individually, a “Participating State,” and collectively, the “Participating States,” have each agreed, through their respective state mortgage regulatory agencies, to enter into this negotiated Agreement. WHEREAS, the state mortgage regulators of the Participating States (hereinafter referred to individually as a “State Mortgage Regulator,” and collectively as the “State Mortgage Regulators”) are, respectively, members of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (“CSBS”) and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (“AARMR”) and have agreed to address enforcement concerns with Servicer in a collective and coordinated manner, working through the Multi-State Mortgage Committee (“MMC”). The State Mortgage Regulators and NewRez are collectively referred to herein as the (“Parties”). WHEREAS, NewRez is licensed as a mortgage broker, lender, and/or servicer under the respective laws of each Participating State. WHEREAS, on or about January 24, 2022, the MMC initiated a multi-state mortgage loan servicing examination (“Examination”) of NewRez covering the period of November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021, to determine NewRez’s compliance with applicable State and Federal laws and FILED 2026 AUGUST 13 AM 9:20 PA DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND SECURITIES Docket No. 260028
regulations, financial condition, the adequacy of policies and procedures, and the control and supervision of the licensed mortgage loan servicing operations. The Examination was conducted by the State Mortgage Regulators from the states of Connecticut, District of Columbia (lead agency), Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas-OCCC, and Vermont. The multi-state mortgage loan servicing examination of NewRez was conducted pursuant to their respective statutory authorities, and in accordance with the protocols established by the CSBS/AARMR Nationwide Cooperative Protocol for Mortgage Supervision as well as the Nationwide Cooperative Agreement for Mortgage Supervision. A Report of Examination (“ROE”) was issued by the MMC to NewRez on September 12, 2022, and identified instances of noncompliance with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and its implementing regulation, Regulation X, specifically, 12 C.F.R. § 1024.37 governing lender-placed insurance (collectively, “LPI”). LPI is an insurance policy purchased by the mortgage lender on behalf of the lender for hazard, flood, or wind coverage, applied to certain borrower accounts. WHEREAS, NewRez cooperated at all times throughout the Examination and the MMC’s subsequent engagement on this matter, worked with the MMC to address the findings within the ROE, and remediated all impacted borrowers. WHEREAS, the MMC engaged in direct discussions with NewRez and its counsel to identify steps Servicer has already taken or will take to improve compliance, manage risk, and otherwise ensure safe and sound servicing operations as part of the Examination resolution process. WHEREAS, NewRez enters into this Agreement solely for the purpose of resolving the issues identified in the ROE. NewRez neither admits nor denies allegations that it engaged in any wrongdoing or that it violated any applicable laws, regulations, or rules at issue here, as well as
with respect to any conduct related to persons identified for redress or remediation in connection with this Agreement. NewRez acknowledges that the State Mortgage Regulators have and maintain jurisdiction over the underlying dispute, including all matters referred to in these recitals, and therefore have the authority to fully resolve the matter. WHEREAS, NewRez represents that it has implemented, and will continue to maintain, procedures identified in its response to the ROE designed to ensure NewRez’s compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and recommendations identified in the ROE relevant to the issues cited in this Agreement. WHEREAS, the State Mortgage Regulators have legal authority to initiate administrative actions based on the conduct described in and related to the ROE. WHEREAS, the Parties enter into this Agreement to resolve concerns and violations described in the ROE and in these recitals and to close the ROE. To that end, the State Mortgage Regulators have agreed to the release of claims and remedies related to these issues, as described below. The State Mortgage Regulators reserve all rights, duties, and authority to enforce all statutes, rules, and regulations under their respective jurisdictions against NewRez regarding any mortgage loan activities and/or servicing activities outside the scope of this Agreement. Additionally, a State Mortgage Regulator may consider this Agreement and the facts set forth herein in connection with, and in deciding, any examination, action, or proceeding under the jurisdiction of that State Mortgage Regulator, if the basis of such examination, action, or proceeding is not a direct result of the specific activity identified in the ROE; and that this Agreement may, if relevant to such examination, action, or proceeding, be admitted into evidence in any matter before a State Mortgage Regulator.
WHEREAS, NewRez agrees that certain claims and remedies are not released, as provided in Section VI of this Agreement. WHEREAS, NewRez hereby knowingly, willingly, voluntarily, and irrevocably consents to the entry of this Agreement, which is being entered pursuant to the authority vested in each State Mortgage Regulator, and agrees that it understands all of the terms and conditions contained herein. NewRez acknowledges that it has full knowledge of its rights to notice and a hearing pursuant to the laws of the respective Participating States. By voluntarily entering into this Agreement, NewRez waives any right to notice and a hearing, and review of such hearing, and herein waives all rights to any other judicial appeal concerning the terms, conditions, and related obligations set forth in this Agreement. NewRez further acknowledges that it has had an opportunity to consult with independent legal counsel in connection with its waiver of rights and with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement. WHEREAS, NewRez represents that the person signing below is authorized to execute this Agreement and to legally bind NewRez. WHEREAS, NewRez acknowledges that the State Mortgage Regulators are relying, in
part, upon NewRez’s representations and warranties stated herein in making their determinations
in this matter. NewRez further acknowledges that this Agreement may be revoked and the State Mortgage Regulators may pursue any and all remedies available under the law against NewRez, if the State Mortgage Regulators later find that NewRez knowingly or willfully withheld information from the State Mortgage Regulators. WHEREAS, in that the Parties have had the opportunity to draft, review, and edit the language of this Agreement, the Parties agree that no presumption for or against any party arising
out of drafting all or any part of this Agreement will be applied in any action relating to, connected to, or involving this Agreement. Accordingly, the Parties agree to waive the benefit of any State statute providing that, in cases of uncertainty, language of a contract should be interpreted most strongly against the party who caused the uncertainty to exist. NOW, THEREFORE, this Agreement having been negotiated by or on behalf of the Parties in order to resolve the issues identified herein and, in the ROE, without incurring the costs, inconvenience, and delays associated with protracted administrative and judicial proceedings, it is hereby AGREED:
I. JURISDICTION
That pursuant to the licensing and supervision laws of the Participating States, the Participating States have jurisdiction over NewRez as described herein and may enforce the terms of this Agreement thereon unless otherwise stated in this Agreement.
II. APPLICABILITY
That the provisions of this Agreement shall apply to NewRez’s servicing activities regardless of whether the company is servicing residential mortgage loans as a servicer or subservicer.
III. AGREEMENT GOVERNANCE AND MONITORING
That NewRez shall implement and maintain the following enhanced servicing review
standards (“MMC Standards”) pursuant to the terms described below to identify borrower insurance information for the population of loans described below with LPI following the execution of this Agreement by the Participating States (“Effective Date”).
The MMC Standards identified in this Agreement are meant to supplement any servicing
standards prescribed by State and Federal law and regulation and should not be construed to impact any State Mortgage Regulator’s ability to enforce, under their licensing and regulatory authority, those servicing standards prescribed under State and Federal law and regulation.
NewRez shall implement the MMC Standards as detailed in Paragraph 5 of this Section no
later than ninety (90) days from the Effective Date of this Agreement (the “Implementation Date”).
Auditing Period. The MMC Standards shall remain in full force and effect for one (1) year
from the Implementation Date.
MMC Standards. Servicer shall conduct testing, either internally or by retaining the
services of a third-party, to assess Servicer’s compliance with the MMC Standards. If the testing is conducted internally, the testing shall be performed by members of the internal audit group or Compliance Department, who are independent of the applicable line of business, and shall be conducted in the ordinary course of Servicer’s business consistent with industry standards and Servicer’s internal testing schedule. a. Monthly tests shall be conducted for all newly-boarded loans with LPI within the jurisdictions of the Participating States where Servicer operates (“Sample Loans”). Testing will include manual inspection of loan documentation, review of loan servicing system notes or data, and management inquiries and interviews, as necessary and consistent with the following:
i. The Sample Loans subject to targeted monthly sampling shall be loans with LPI
coverage initiated during the previous month, with the first month to be sampled defined as the first full calendar month after the Implementation Date. Servicershall
randomly select ten (10) percent of the Sample Loans, where there are twenty (20) or more such loans with LPI from that state, or sample at least one (1) loan from all jurisdictions where Servicer operates where there are nineteen (19) or fewer loans with LPI during the review month. For such review, Servicer shall manually review all imaged documentation to determine whether an existing homeowners insurance policy was valid when Servicer assessed LPI (“Sample Testing”), and a loan will fail the test if Servicer assessed LPI when there was valid documentary evidence of a valid homeowners insurance policy in place at the time LPI was assessed.
ii. If the total number of loans that fail Sample Testing as a percentage of the
total number of loans tested exceeds five (5) percent (the “Threshold Error Rate”), then Servicer will be deemed to have failed that metric for the reporting period.
iii. Servicer shall report to the Executive Committee, defined below in Paragraph
6 of this Section, the outcome of the monthly testing, including any instance in which the percentage of errors identified in Sample Testing exceeds the Threshold Error Rate. Servicer will provide such reporting within thirty (30) days of finalizing the monthly report. Servicer shall have the right to cure any such fail by terminating such LPI and refunding all premiums and fees paid by the borrower(s).
6. Executive Committee. An executive committee comprised of representatives of the
Participating States (“Executive Committee”) shall serve as the point of contact between NewRez and the Participating States and shall receive reports and communications from NewRez required by this Agreement (“Reports”). The initial memberstates of the Executive Committee are the State Mortgage Regulators of the District of Columbia, Iowa, and Massachusetts. The Executive Committee may substitute representation, as necessary, with thirty (30) days’ notice to NewRez.
IV. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, PENALTY AND REMEDIES
to object to a Participating State submitting a claim, nor attempt to defend or defeat such authorized claim, for any unpaid amounts against any surety bond that NewRez may maintain in such Participating State as a condition of maintaining a license under the jurisdiction of that State Mortgage Regulator.
3. That a State Mortgage Regulator may elect to have its allocation of the Administrative
Penalty set forth in Paragraph 1 of this Section applied towards its respective Participating State’s consumer relief, and/or other such alternatives authorized under the respective Participating State’s law. Should a State Mortgage Regulator elect to apply its allocation of the Administrative Penalty in such an alternative manner, solely for the purpose of ensuring the effective administration of payments pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, that State Mortgage Regulator shall notify the MMC in writing of such election on or before the Effective Date of this Agreement.
4. Any Additional Payments to Consumers Affected by Lender-Placed Insurance
Errors. Within one hundred eighty (180) days of the Non-Objection Date, defined below, NewRez shall conduct a self-audit of all LPI fees collected or refunded for newly boarded loans within the Participating States for the period of January 1, 2023 through the Effective Date of this Agreement (“Additional Self-Audit”). a. NewRez shall provide the methodology for the Additional Self-Audit to the Executive Committee within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date. The Executive Committee will either provide feedback or non-objection to the methodology within fourteen (14) days of receipt (“Non-Objection Date”). No response in that timeframe will be deemed non-objection. If the Executive Committee has feedback, the Parties will meet and confer and work to address such feedback within thirty (30) days of receipt, and resubmit pursuant to the above-described nonobjection process.
b. NewRez shall provide the results of the Additional Self-Audit to the Executive Committee within thirty (30) days of finalizing the Additional Self-Audit.
c. If the Additional Self-Audit identifies instances in which LPI was erroneously
placed on a borrower’s account after which the borrower was assessed and did pay a premium or any fees to NewRez for that erroneous LPI policy, NewRez will remediate such errors by refunding the affected borrower the full amount of premiums and fees the borrower paid for the LPI policy that was erroneously placed. d. NewRez shall update the Executive Committee every ninety (90) days on the progress of remediation to any consumers the Additional Self-Audit identifies as having paid for erroneously placed LPI until all consumers have been made whole. The first update to the Executive Committee on remediation will be due ninety (90) days after NewRez provides the results of the Additional Self-Audit. e. If a consumer has previously received remediation for erroneously placed LPI for the period of January 1, 2023, through the Effective Date of this Agreement, within ninety (90) days of the finalization of the Additional Self-Audit, NewRez shall provide documentation to the Executive Committee of the remediation previously provided prior to the Effective Date.
V. ENFORCEMENT
General Enforcement Authority and Enforcement Relative to the Monitoring
Standards, Consumer Relief, and Administrative Penalty. That the terms of this Agreement shall be enforced in accordance with the provisions, terms, and authorities provided in this Agreement and under the respective laws and regulations of each Participating State.
No Restriction on Existing Examination and Investigative Authority. That this
Agreement shall in no way preclude any State Mortgage Regulator from exercising its examination or investigative authority authorized under the laws of its corresponding Participating State in the instance a determination is made wherein NewRez is found not to be adhering to the requirements of the Agreement, other than inadvertent and isolated errors that are promptly corrected by NewRez, or involving any unrelated matter not subject to the terms of this Agreement. The Parties agree that the failure of NewRez to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement with respect to a particular State shall be treated as a violation of an order of the State and may be enforced as such. Moreover, NewRez acknowledges and agrees that this Agreement is only binding on the State Mortgage Regulators and not any other Local, State or Federal Agency, Department, or Office.
Notice. Prior to initiating an action to enforce the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
a Participating State shall: (1) provide written notice to the Executive Committee and NewRez of the basis for the potential action and a description of its allegations; (2) meet and confer with NewRez, if so requested, within the first thirty (30) calendar days of issuing the written notice; and (3) allow NewRez thirty (30) calendar days to respond to such notice in writing.
Sharing of Information and Cooperation. That the State Mortgage Regulators may
collectively or individually request and receive any information or documents in the possession of the MMC. This Agreement shall not limit NewRez’s obligations, as a licensee of the State Mortgage Regulators, to cooperate with any examination or investigation, including but not limited to, any obligation to timely provide requested information or documents to any State Mortgage Regulator.
VI. RELEASE
The Participating States release claims and remedies as provided below. The releases contained herein shall become effective immediately upon the occurrence of the Effective Date as defined below.
unaffiliated, related to NewRez’s LPI compliance, and (3) quality control, quality assurance, compliance, audit, testing, risk management, oversight, reporting, or certification or registration requirements related to the LPI compliance. This release does not release the vendors, agents, representatives, or contract employees themselves for any of their acts, errors, or omissions.
3. Effectiveness. The release provided for in this section shall become effective immediately
upon the occurrence of the Effective Date, subject to receiving full and complete payment of the Administrative Penalty and Administrative Costs as required under Section IV.
VII. GENERAL PROVISIONS
and the laws of the Participating State shall govern the interpretation, construction, and enforceability of this Agreement.
4. Adoption of Subsequent Orders to Incorporate Terms. That a State Mortgage
Regulator, if deemed necessary under the laws and regulations of the corresponding Participating State, may issue a separate administrative order to adopt and incorporate the terms and conditions of this Agreement. A State Mortgage Regulator may sua sponte issue such a subsequent order without the review and approval of NewRez provided the subsequent order does not amend, alter, or otherwise change the terms of the Agreement. In the event a subsequent order amends, alters, or otherwise changes the terms of the Agreement, the terms of the Agreement, as set forth herein, will control.
5. Privilege. That this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any applicable attorneyclient or work product privilege, confidentiality, examination, or any other protection applicable
to any negotiations or reporting relative to this Agreement.
6. Titles. That the titles used to identify the paragraphs of this Agreement are for the
convenience of reference only and do not control the interpretation of this Agreement.
7. Final Agreement. That this Agreement is the final written expression and the complete
and exclusive statement of all the agreements, conditions, promises, representations, and covenants between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements, negotiations, representations, understandings, and discussions between and among the Parties, their respective representatives, and any other person or entity, with respect to the subject matter covered herein, excepting therefrom any proceeding or action if such proceeding or action is based upon facts not presently known to a State Mortgage Regulator.
The Parties further acknowledge and agree that nothing contained in this Agreement shall operate to limit a State Mortgage Regulator’s ability to assist any other Local, State or Federal Agency, Department, or Office with any investigation or prosecution, whether administrative, civil or criminal, initiated by any such Agency, Department or Office against NewRez or any other person based upon any of the activities alleged in these matters or otherwise.
8. Waiver. That the waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate to waive any
other provision set forth herein, and any waiver, amendment and/or change to the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and signed by the Parties.
9. No Private Right of Action Created. That this Agreement does not create any private
rights or remedies against NewRez (or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or Released Parties), create any liability for NewRez (or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or Released Parties) or limit defenses of NewRez (or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or Released Parties) or for any person or entity not a party to this Agreement. An action under, pursuant to, or in reliance on this Agreement in any way may be brought solely by one of the Parties or the Executive Committee.
10. Costs. That except as otherwise agreed to in this Agreement, each party to this Agreement
will bear its own costs and attorneys’ fees associated with this Agreement.
11. Notices. That any notice to NewRez and/or the State Mortgage Regulators required or
contemplated by this Agreement shall be delivered, if not otherwise described herein, by electronic copy to NewRez through the “Primary Company Contact” for NewRez listed in the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System, or similar contact system, to NewRez’s counsel of record in this matter (Michelle L. Rogers, mrogers@cooley.com), and to the State Mortgage Regulators by direct written notification.
Docusign Envelope ID: F7E3D39A-03B2-8D67-8145-FF354123B10B Alabama Banking Department By:
District of Columbia Department of Insurance,
Securities and Banking
Name: Mike Hill By:
Title:
Date:
Superintendent
8/6/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Karima M. Woods
Commissioner
8/6/2026
Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial
Institutions
By:
Delaware Office of the State Bank Commissioner By:
Name: Charles Bassett Name: Lisa W. Collison
Title: Director Title: Commissioner
Date: 8/6/2026 Date: 8/7/2026
Arkansas Securities Department
By:
Florida Office of Financial Regulation
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Susannah T. Marshall
Commissioner
8/5/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Russell C. Weigel, III
Commissioner
8/5/2026
State of Connecticut, Department of Banking
By:
Georgia Department of Banking and Finance
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Jorge L. Perez
Commissioner
8/5/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Oscar B. Fears III
Commissioner
8/5/2026
Docusign Envelope ID: F7E3D39A-03B2-8D67-8145-FF354123B10B Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection By:
Minnesota Department of Commerce
Grace Arnold, Commissioner
By:
Name:
Title:
linda conti
Superintendent
Name: Sara Payne
Date: 8/7/2026
Title:
Date:
Assistant Commissioner for Enforcement
8/5/2026
Office of Financial Regulation
Maryland Department of Labor
By:
Mississippi Department of Banking and
Consumer Finance
Name: Dana Allen By:
Title:
Date:
Assistant Commissioner of Enforcement
8/5/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Mrs. Rhoshunda G. Kelly, CEM
Commissioner
8/5/2026
Massachusetts Division of Banks
By:
Missouri Division of Finance
Name: Mary Gallagher By:
Title:
Date:
Commissioner of Banks
8/6/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Mick Campbell
Commissioner
8/9/2026
State of Michigan, Department of Insurance and Financial Services By:
Montana Division of Banking and Financial
Institutions
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Aaron E. Luetzow
Senior Deputy Director
8/5/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Paul Reynolds
Non-Depository Bureau Chief
8/5/2026
Docusign Envelope ID: F7E3D39A-03B2-8D67-8145-FF354123B10B Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance By:
New Mexico Financial Institutions Division
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Kelly Lammers
Director
8/5/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Mark Sadowski
Director
8/6/2026
Nevada Division of Mortgage Lending
By:
New York Department of Financial Services
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Zeljana Ajdari
Deputy Commissioner
8/10/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Kaitlin Asrow
Acting Superintendent
8/5/2026
New Hampshire Banking Department
By:
Name: Emelia A.S. Galdieri
North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of
Banks
By:
Title:
Date:
Bank Commissioner
8/10/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Katherine MR Bosken
Commissioner of Banks
8/6/2026
New Jersey Department of Banking and
Insurance
By:
North Dakota Dept of Financial Institutions
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Susan Ochs
Acting Commissioner
8/7/2026
Name:
Title:
Date:
Lise Kruse
Commissioner
8/5/2026
Appendix A – State Signatories
Appendix B – Administrative Penalty
Alabama $183,346.09 New York $602,226.09
Arizona $235,706.09 North Carolina $382,776.09 Arkansas $115,586.07 North Dakota $54,756.09 Connecticut $204,136.08 Ohio $204,136.09 Delaware $79,396.09 Oklahoma $106,346.09 District of Columbia $81,706.08 Oregon $120,206.09 Florida $1,667,906.09 Pennsylvania $211,066.08 Georgia $330,416.08 Rhode Island $77,086.09 Hawaii $108,656.09 South Carolina $247,256.09 Idaho $84,016.09 South Dakota $54,756.08 Illinois $464,396.09 Tennessee $174,876.09 Indiana $61,686.09 Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner $372,338.04 Iowa $72,466.08 Texas Savings and Mortgage Lending $372,338.04 Kansas $77,086.09 Utah $95,566.09 Kentucky $102,496.09 Vermont $63,996.08 Louisiana $204,136.09 Virginia $233,396.09 Maine $59,376.09 West Virgina $77,086.09 Maryland $294,226.09 Wisconsin $122,516.09 Massachusetts $285,756.07 Michigan $274,206.09 Minnesota $95,566.09 Mississippi $134,066.08 Missouri $131,756.09 Montana $61,686.08 Nebraska $59,376.09 Nevada $142,536.09 New Hampshire $74,776.09 New Jersey $518,296.09 New Mexico $122,516.09
Appendix C – Administrative Costs
Arkansas $87,063.16
Connecticut $87,063.15
District of Columbia $109,063.15
Georgia $87,063.15
Iowa $109,063.15
Massachusetts $87,063.16
Mississippi $87,063.15
Montana $87,063.16
Pennsylvania $87,063.15
South Dakota $87,063.16
Texas Office of Consumer Credit
Commissioner $87,063.15
Vermont $87,063.15
Read the rest free
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities — original document · Summary generated with machine assistance and reviewed before publication; the authoritative text is the regulator's original document. How RegAlert works
More like this from DOBS
DOBS published 3 documents in the last 30 days. We email you each new one the day it's published.