A partial payment is a remittance by or on behalf of the borrower on a loan in default (as defined in §36.4301) of any amount less than the full amount due under the terms of the loan and security instruments at the time the remittance is tendered.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, or upon the express waiver of the Secretary, the mortgage holder shall accept any partial payment and either apply it to the mortgagor's account or identify it with the mortgagor's account and hold it in a special account pending disposition. When partial payments held for disposition aggregate a full monthly installment, including escrow, they shall be applied to the mortgagor's account.

(b) A partial payment may be returned to the mortgagor, within 10 calendar days from date of receipt of such payment, with a letter of explanation only if one or more of the following conditions exist:

(1) The property is wholly or partially tenant-occupied and rental payments are not being remitted to the holder for application to the loan account;

(2) The payment is less than one full monthly installment, including escrows and late charge, if applicable, unless the lesser payment amount has been agreed to under a documented repayment plan;

(3) The payment is less than 50 percent of the total amount then due, unless the lesser payment amount has been agreed to under a documented repayment plan;

(4) The payment is less than the amount agreed to in a documented repayment plan;

(5) The amount tendered is in the form of a personal check and the holder has previously notified the mortgagor in writing that only cash or certified remittances are acceptable;

(6) A delinquency of any amount has continued for at least 6 months since the account first became delinquent and no written repayment plan has been arranged;

(7) Foreclosure has been commenced by the taking of the first action required for foreclosure under local law; or

(8) The holder's lien position would be jeopardized by acceptance of the partial payment.

(c) A failure by the holder to comply with the provisions of this paragraph may result in a partial or total loss of guaranty or insurance pursuant to §36.4328(b), but such failure shall not constitute a defense to any legal action to terminate the loan.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3703(c)(1))

[73 FR 6310, Feb. 1, 2008. Redesignated at 75 FR 33705, June 15, 2010, as amended at 75 FR 65238, Oct. 22, 2010]