Connecticut’s Foreclosure Mediation Program provides court oversight to the mortgage modification process and can help borrowers obtain a mortgage modification that otherwise may have been beyond their reach.
The borrower must satisfy five criteria to be eligible for the program. First, the property must be the borrower’s primary residence. Second, the borrower must occupy the property. Third, the property must be a one to four family residence in Connecticut. Fourth, the person applying to the program must be the borrower. Fifth, the borrower must be the defendant in a mortgage foreclosure action.
If all five criteria are satisfied, the borrower completes and files with the court a Foreclosure Mediation Certificate together with an Appearance. Note that the “appearance” is a form; it does not require a physical appearance in court. A blank Foreclosure Mediation Certificate and Appearance form should be included with the summons and complaint. The borrower must file these forms with the court within 15 days of the return date listed on the summons but the borrower can move for permission to request mediation more than 15 days after the return date.
Shortly after the borrower files the Certificate and Appearance, the court will send the borrower a notice of the first mediation session. The mediations take place at the courthouse but not in a courtroom. They are informal. The only people present are the borrower (and if applicable the borrower’s lawyer), the bank’s lawyer and the mediator, who is a state employee but not a judge.
The program normally takes place over several mediation sessions. At the first session, the bank’s lawyer provides some information about the loan to the mediator, including the outstanding principal balance, whether there are escrows for taxes and insurance and the current payment. The mediator will discuss with the borrower the reasons why the borrower fell behind, the borrower’s employment or income situation and whether the borrower would like to stay in the home. If that is the case, the bank’s lawyer provides the borrower with some forms to complete and a list of documents to provide. The forms ask for information about the borrower’s income, expenses and assets. The documents requested usually include paystubs, bank statements and tax returns.
The court will send the borrower a notice of the next mediation session, which is usually 30-60 days after the first session. Subsequent sessions revolve around making sure the lender has all the documents and information it requested. Certain documents, like paystubs and bank statements, have to be updated as the mediation progresses.
A successful mediation results in a mortgage modification. The mediation process can be as exasperating as applying for a modification outside of the Foreclosure Mediation Program but in my experience the mediator’s oversight helps keep the lender on track.