REMINDER: We have received notification that many of our agents are being targeted by certain industry players who may not necessarily be settlement service providers under RESPA, but who provide housing related services (e.g., alarm companies). These companies are offering agents referral fees for sharing client information in anticipation of marketing to the clients. Please remember that taking referral fees or any thing of value for such referrals IS A VIOLATION OF RESPA and can result in fines and even jail time. While these businesses may not be considered settlement service providers under RESPA, we, as real estate agents and brokers, are.
Reg X 1024.14(b) (RESPA) states:
“(b) No referral fees. No person shall give and no person shall accept any fee, kickback or other thing of value pursuant to any agreement or understanding, oral or otherwise, that business incident to or part of a settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan shall be referred to any person. Any referral of a settlement service is not a compensable service, except as set forth in §1024.14(g)(1). A company may not pay any other company or the employees of any other company for the referral of settlement service business.”
A settlement service is defined as:
“Settlement service means any service provided in connection with a prospective or actual settlement, including, but not limited to, any one or more of the following:
(1) Origination of a federally related mortgage loan (including, but not limited to, the taking of loan applications, loan processing, and the underwriting and funding of such loans);
(2) Rendering of services by a mortgage broker (including counseling, taking of applications, obtaining verifications and appraisals, and other loan processing and origination services, and communicating with the borrower and lender);
(3) Provision of any services related to the origination, processing or funding of a federally related mortgage loan;
(4) Provision of title services, including title searches, title examinations, abstract preparation, insurability determinations, and the issuance of title commitments and title insurance policies;
(5) Rendering of services by an attorney;
(6) Preparation of documents, including notarization, delivery, and recordation;
(7) Rendering of credit reports and appraisals;
(8) Rendering of inspections, including inspections required by applicable law or any inspections required by the sales contract or mortgage documents prior to transfer of title;
(9) Conducting of settlement by a settlement agent and any related services;
(10) Provision of services involving mortgage insurance;
(11) Provision of services involving hazard, flood, or other casualty insurance or homeowner’s warranties;
(12) Provision of services involving mortgage life, disability, or similar insurance designed to pay a mortgage loan upon disability or death of a borrower, but only if such insurance is required by the lender as a condition of the loan;
(13) Provision of services involving real property taxes or any other assessments or charges on the real property;
(14) Rendering of services by a real estate agent or real estate broker; and
(15) Provision of any other services for which a settlement service provider requires a borrower or seller to pay.”