Mr. Yapkowitz and his wife both defaulted on making mortgage loan payments. At that time the servicing company handling the loan payments sent them a 30 day notice of default. This took place on January 22, 2009. In February 2010, the were notified the loan servicing was transferred went to NationStar Mortgage LLC. The mortgage was then assigned to Wells Fargo Bank in April of 2013. There was a denial of a motion for Summary Judgment (to obtain a judgment of foreclosure and sale without needing to go for trial) in July of 2018. An issue was raised by the decision of the Supreme Court with regard to whether each of the homeowner’s must receive a 90 day notice separately from the other borrower.
The Law In New York
New York Real Property Actions and Proceeding Law Section 1304 requires the mailing of a 90 pre-foreclosure notice to the individuals facing foreclosure. In this case the notice to the individuals was jointly addressed to them.
The appeals court affirmed a judgment in the homeowners favor dismissing Wells Fargo’s foreclosure lawsuit. The Appeals Court in the Second Department ruled to strictly comply with real property actions and proceedings law section 1304 in a foreclosure lawsuit plaintiff must mail a 90 day notice addressed to each borrower in separate envelopes as a precondition to commencing the foreclosure case. Wells Fargo, in this case, had jointly addressed the borrowers with a 90 day notice. This did not comply with the statute and this was the reason for the dismissal of the case.
Conclusion
All of the terms of New York Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law Section 1304 regarding pre-foreclosure notice to the homeowner’s must be strictly complied with. If the statute is not strictly complied with, the foreclosure lawsuit can be dismissed.
Elliot S. Schlissel is a foreclosure defenses lawyer who has been helping homeowners form more than 3 decades. He can be reached at elliot@sdnylaw.com or 516-561-6645, 718-350-2802, 631-319-8262.
