Short answer
Call first, but if that doesn't fix it, send your servicer a written notice of error. Federal rules (Regulation X) require the servicer to confirm it got your letter within 5 business days and, for most errors, to fix it or explain in writing why it found no error within 30 business days. It can't charge you for this, and for 60 days it can't report the disputed payment to the credit bureaus as late.
What counts as an error?
Regulation X (12 CFR 1024.35) lists the common ones. Examples include:
- Not accepting a payment made the way the servicer told you to pay.
- Not crediting a payment as of the day it arrived, or applying it to the wrong place.
- Not paying your property taxes or insurance from escrow on time, or not refunding escrow when the loan is paid off.
- Charging a fee it has no reasonable basis to charge.
- Giving you an inaccurate payoff amount.
- Losing information when your loan moved to a new servicer.
The list ends with any other error in servicing your loan, so a problem doesn't have to be named to count.
How do I send a notice of error?
- Check your statement or the servicer's website for the address it uses for notices of error. If it has named one, you must use it. A note on your payment coupon doesn't count.
- Write a short letter with your name, your loan number and what you believe went wrong.
- Attach copies (never originals) of anything that helps, like a bank statement showing the payment cleared.
- Keep a copy and send it in a way you can track.
The servicer can ask you for documents, but it can't refuse to look into the error because you didn't send them.
How long does the servicer have?
| Step | Deadline (business days) |
|---|---|
| Confirm it received your letter | 5 days (not needed if it fixes the error within 5 days) |
| Wrong payoff amount | 7 days |
| Most other errors | 30 days, plus 15 more if it tells you in writing first |
| Foreclosure errors | 30 days or before the sale, whichever comes first |
| Copies of the documents it relied on | 15 days after you ask |
If it decides there was no error, its letter must say why and tell you how to get the documents it used, at no charge.
What if I just need information?
A written request for information works the same way under 12 CFR 1024.36. The servicer has 10 business days to tell you who owns your loan and 30 business days for most other requests. That's useful if you want a payment history before you refinance or sell.
What if it still isn't fixed?
You can file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, and a HUD-approved housing counselor can help you sort out a servicing problem. If you're facing foreclosure, talk with an attorney. Send your notice within a year if your loan has moved to a new servicer or been paid off, because after that the old servicer doesn't have to respond. See what happens when your loan is sold.
Sources
- Regulation X, 12 CFR 1024.35, Error resolution procedures
- Regulation X, 12 CFR 1024.36, Requests for information
- Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.36(c), Servicing practices (crediting payments, payoff statements)
Checked November 2, 2026. Rules and dates change, so confirm current details before you rely on them.
General information only, not tax or legal advice. Program availability, eligibility and terms vary by lender and are subject to change and to underwriting approval. Not a commitment to lend.