Let’s be clear about the biggest point….most of what the banks are doing wrong is already violation of various state and federal laws. No need for a consent settlement to admit wrongdoing, but the signed agreement certainly makes it clear. What’s also clear is Florida’s Attorney General serves The Banks and The Corporations and not The People. God Help us if she’s anything but a One Termer.
From Palm Beach Post:
More than a year into the landmark agreement, Florida borrowers and their attorneys say they are still struggling with customer-service issues required by the settlement, such as having borrowers deal with a single bank employee instead of a different person on every call.
According to settlement monitor Joseph Smith, Florida is second only to California in the number of complaints sent to his office with 617 filed between April 2012 and January. The majority involve loan modification and servicing problems.
While one attorney general announced plans to file a lawsuit for lender violations, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is handling it in house.
In August, she appointed a full-time analyst whose sole charge is to assist homeowners with the settlement, act as a liaison between borrowers and banks and forward complaints to the monitor’s office, said Jenn Meale, communications director.
Bondi’s office has amassed 293 complaints, including 21 from Palm Beach County.
