FTC: Mortgage Disclosures Inadequate

Mortgage disclosures currently required by federal regulators fail to convey key mortgage costs and terms to consumers, leaving them susceptible to deceptive lending practices, according to a Federal Trade Commission study that tested 819 recent mortgage customers.The FTC study found that prime and subprime mortgage customers were confused by the standard good-faith estimate and would benefit from enhanced disclosures. The consumer protection agency tested a prototype GFE with enhanced disclosures that produced better results. "Eighty percent of the respondents viewing the prototype form were able to answer 70% or more of the questions correctly, compared to 29% of the respondents viewing the current form," the FTC said. The study also suggests that subprime borrowers "may benefit the most from improved disclosures," FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras said.