Section 17. (a) This chapter shall apply to any lender who attempts to avoid its application by dividing any loan transaction into separate parts for the purpose of evading this chapter.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 183C sec. 17

  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.

(b) A lender making a high-cost home mortgage loan who, when acting in good faith, fails to comply with this chapter, shall not be considered to have violated this chapter if the lender establishes that either: (1) Within 30 days of the loan closing and prior to the institution of any action under this chapter, the lender notifies the borrower of the compliance failure and makes appropriate restitution and whatever adjustments are necessary are made to the loan, at the choice of the borrower, to either: (i) make the high-cost home mortgage loan satisfy the requirements of this chapter or (ii) change the terms of the loan in a manner beneficial to the borrower so that the loan will no longer be considered a high-cost home mortgage loan; or, (2) the compliance failure was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error notwithstanding the maintenance procedures reasonably adapted to avoid the errors, and within 60 days after the discovery of the compliance failure and before the institution of any action under this chapter or the receipt of written notice of the compliance failure, the borrower is notified of the compliance failure, appropriate restitution is made and whatever adjustments are necessary are made to the loan, at the choice of the borrower, to either (i) make the high-cost home mortgage loan satisfy the requirements of this chapter or (ii) change the terms of the loan in a manner beneficial to the borrower so that the loan will no longer be considered a high-cost home mortgage loan. Examples of a bona fide error may include clerical errors, errors in calculation, computer malfunction and programming, and printing errors. An error in legal judgment with respect to a person’s obligation under this chapter shall not be considered a bona fide error.

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