XML 42 R34.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
NOTE 24 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Regulatory Requirements [Abstract]  
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
Note 24 Regulatory Requirements

Our business is subject to extensive regulation by federal, state and local governmental authorities, including the CFPB, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the SEC and various state agencies that license, audit and conduct examinations of our mortgage originations, servicing and collection activities in a number of states. The CFPB asserts supervisory authority (including the authority to conduct examinations) over Ocwen and its affiliates, including Homeward. From time to time, we also receive requests from federal, state and local agencies for records, documents and information relating to our policies, procedures and practices regarding our loan origination, loan servicing and debt collection business activities. We incur significant ongoing costs to comply with new and existing laws and governmental regulation of our business.

We must comply with a number of federal, state and local consumer protection laws including, among others, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Homeowners Protection Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act and, more recently, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), and state mortgage origination, mortgage servicing and foreclosure laws. These laws apply to loan origination, loan servicing, debt collection, use of credit reports, safeguarding of non-public personally identifiable information about our customers, foreclosure and claims handling, investment of and interest payments on escrow balances and escrow payment features, and mandate certain disclosures and notices to borrowers. These requirements can and do change as statutes and regulations are enacted, promulgated or amended.

There are a number of foreign laws and regulations that are applicable to our operations in India, the Philippines and Uruguay, including acts that govern licensing, employment, safety, taxes, insurance, and the laws and regulations that govern the creation, continuation and the winding up of companies as well as the relationships between the shareholders, the company, the public and the government in both countries.