Foreclosure Mediation
What is Foreclosure Mediation?
Mediation is an opportunity to meet with a representative from your lender to discuss options to prevent a foreclosure sale of your home. The mediation session is not a formal court proceeding. It is a meeting between you and your lender, and takes place around a table. The mediation is conducted by an Administrative Law Judge who is a neutral third-party. An attorney for your lender will be at the mediation, and your lender will call-in by telephone.
Why is Foreclosure Mediation Helpful?
Foreclosure is often not in the bank’s best interest, and foreclosure mediation offers a chance to discuss ways that you can either stay in your house or work out a mutually beneficial way for you to leave the home. You may be able to negotiate a loan modification, forbearance, reinstatement, short sale, or deed in lieu of foreclosure, or other non-foreclosure resolutions. The foreclosure sale is put on hold until at least 15 days after the mediation takes place. An attorney can help you present information and proposals to the lender at the foreclosure mediation. The attorney can also help you evaluate any proposals you receive from the lender.
How do I Request Foreclosure Mediation?
After your foreclosure case is filed, you have 25 days from the date of the Final Loss Mitigation Affidavit to submit your mediation request form to the court. You must pay a $50 filing fee to the court for mediation or request a waiver of the fee. Once mediation has been requested, the Office of Administrative Hearings will send a letter to you stating the time, date, and place of the mediation. The mediation must take place no later than 60 days after you file the mediation request. For more information about the foreclosure timeline, please watch our Foreclosure Timeline video.
Why Should I Consider Hiring an Attorney to Represent Me?
Foreclosure is a legal process and the banks will have their lawyers at the mediation. You may benefit from a lawyer on your side who is knowledgeable about state and federal mortgage servicing and consumer protection laws.
Civil Justice: A Leader in Maryland Foreclosure Mediations
Civil Justice network attorneys have represented over 200 homeowners at foreclosure mediations. These mediations provide an opportunity for homeowners to communicate directly with their lenders about alternatives to foreclosure with the assistance of a neutral third-party mediator. If you are a homeowner needing assistance with a foreclosure and are interested in Civil Justice’s foreclosure services, please complete an Intake Form, and a Civil Justice staff member will contact you. You may also call us at 443-853-1011 to speak with a member of our staff. For more information about foreclosure in Maryland, please watch our videos on the foreclosure process for Maryland at the Foreclosure Consumer Resources Page or read our Foreclosure FAQ webpage.