(a) The Secretary shall be subrogated to the contract and the lien or other rights of the holder to the extent of any sum paid on a guaranty, which right shall be junior to the holder's rights as against the debtor or the encumbered property until the holder shall have received the full amount payable under the contract with the debtor except that where the holder has entered into a recourse and/or repurchase or indemnity agreement with a dealer or servicer or other entity and the Department of Veterans Affairs pays a claim under guaranty to the holder the Department of Veterans Affairs will not be subrogated to any rights the holder may have under the recourse and/or repurchase or indemnity agreement. No partial or complete release by a creditor shall impair the rights of the Secretary with respect to the debtor's obligation.

(b) The holder, upon request, shall execute, acknowledge, and deliver an appropriate instrument tendered the holder for that purpose, evidencing any payment received from the Secretary and the Secretary's resulting right of subrogation.

(c) The Secretary may cause the instrument required by paragraph (b) of this section to be filed for record in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds, or other appropriate office of the proper county, town, or State, in accordance with the applicable State law.

(d) Any amounts paid by the Secretary on account of the liabilities of any veteran guaranteed under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 3712 shall constitute a debt owing to the United States by such veteran.

(e) Whenever any veteran disposes of residential property securing a guaranteed loan obtained under 38 U.S.C. 3712, and for which the commitment to make the loan was made prior to March 1, 1988, the Secretary, upon application made by such veteran, shall issue to the veteran a release relieving him or her of all further liability to the Secretary on account of such loan (including liability for any loss resulting from any default of the transferee or any subsequent purchaser of such property) if the Secretary has determined, after such investigation as the Secretary may deem appropriate, that there has been compliance with the conditions prescribed in 38 U.S.C. 3713(a). The assumption of full liability for repayment of the loan by the transferee of the property must be evidenced by an agreement in writing in such form as the Secretary may require. Release of the veteran from liability to the Secretary will not impair or otherwise affect the Secretary's guaranty on the loan, or the liability of the veteran to the holder. Any release of liability granted to a veteran by the Secretary shall inure to the spouse of such veteran. The release of the veteran from liability to the Secretary will constitute the Secretary's prior approval to a release of the veteran from liability on the loan by the holder thereof. This release will not result in the veteran being entitled to further loan benefits unless the requirements of §36.4203 are met.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3713, 3714)

(f) If, on or after July 1, 1972, any veteran disposes of residential property securing a guaranteed loan obtained by him or her under 38 U.S.C. 3712, without securing a release from liability with respect to such loan under 38 U.S.C. 3713(a) and a default subsequently occurs which results in liability of the veteran to the Secretary on account of the loan, the Secretary may relieve the veteran of such liability if the Secretary determines that:

(1) A transferee either immediate or remote is legally liable to the Secretary for the debt of the original veteran-borrower established after the termination of the loan, and

(2) The original loan was current at the time such transferee acquired the property, and

(3) The transferee who is liable to the Secretary is found to have been a satisfactory credit risk at the time he or she acquired the property.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3713(b))

(g) If a veteran or any other person disposes of residential property securing a guaranteed or insured loan for which a commitment was made on or after March 1, 1988, and the veteran or other person notifies the loan holder in writing before disposing of the property, the veteran or other person shall be relieved of all further liability to the Secretary with respect to the loan (including liability for any loss resulting from any default of the purchaser or any subsequent owner of the property) and the application for assumption shall be approved if the holder determines that:

(1) The proposed purchaser is creditworthy;

(2) The proposed purchaser is contractually obligated to assume the loan and the liability to indemnify the Department of Veterans Affairs for the amount of any claim paid under the guaranty as a result of a default on the loan, or has already done so; and,

(3) The payments on the loan are current.

Should these requirements be satisfied, the holder may also release the selling veteran or other person from liability on the loan. This does not apply if the approval for the assumption is granted upon special appeal to avoid immediate foreclosure.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3713, 3714)

[36 FR 1253, Jan. 27, 1971, as amended at 36 FR 13032, July 13, 1971; 44 FR 16015, Mar. 16, 1979; 55 FR 37474, Sept. 12, 1990]