Why didn’t my bank notify me of my reduced HELOC?

Keith Gumbinger

Q: Do banks by law have to give you notice of reductions in a Home Equity Line of Credit?

A: If you mean "advance notification," the answer would be "no," at least in most circumstances. The reduction or termination of a home equity line of credit would not require advance notice if you have signed an agreement permitting the lender to do so when the value of your home has significantly declined below the appraised value, or where a material change in your financial situation has occurred.

That said, the regulation which governs such things suggests that they do need to notify you within 30 days of having taken any "adverse" action on your account.

Somewhere in the paperwork you signed to get your home equity line of credit there is usually a clause which allows the mortgage lender to make a change to your credit line (even terminating it all together) if there is a material change in the property's valuation or even your credit profile. Presumably, you signed or initialed this clause as a part of your agreement.

Some more technical details can be found at here; it is technically a guide for lenders with regard to account management, but does cover reductions and terminations of lines of credit and the conditions under which these events can occur.

Ask the expert
Keith Gumbinger
Keith Gumbinger
Mortgage Expert
Vice President, HSH.com
About Keith: Mortgage market observer and analyst with 35 years experience... (more)
Please enter a question.
Please enter name.
Please enter email.
Captcha code invalid
Q: How best to consolidate credit card debt?
SEP 24, 2024
A:

A lower-cost alternative might be to obtain a home equity line of credit or even an HECM.

Read More
Q: The index which governs my ARM disappeared. What happens now?
SEP 09, 2024
A:

When an index disappears, it will be replaced with another indicator.

Read More
Q: How should I pay my mortgage closing costs?
SEP 04, 2024
A:

Generally, there are three ways to approach the issue. Each option has different effects on your mortgage cost over time.

Read More
Add to Homescreen?
X
X
Install this web app on your phone :tap and then Add to homescreen