(c) A mortgagee or mortgagee's agent who willfully fails to prepare and deliver an accurate payoff demand statement within 10 business days after receipt of a written demand is liable to the mortgagor for actual damages sustained for failure to deliver the statement. The mortgagee or mortgagee's agent is liable to the mortgagor for $500 if no actual damages are sustained. For purposes of this subsection, "willfully" means a failure to comply with this Section without just cause or excuse or mitigating circumstances.
(d) The mortgagor must petition the judge within the foreclosure action for the award of any damages pursuant to this Section, which award shall be determined by the judge.
(e) Unless the payoff demand statement provides otherwise, the statement is deemed to apply only to the unpaid balance of the single obligation that is named in the demand and that is secured by the mortgage or deed of trust identified in the payoff demand statement.
(f) The demand for and preparation and delivery of a payoff demand statement pursuant to this Section does not change any date or time period that is prescribed in the note or that is otherwise provided by law. Failure to comply with any provision of this Section does not change any of the rights of the parties as set forth in the note, mortgage, or applicable law.
(g) The mortgagee or mortgagee's agent shall furnish the first payoff demand statement at no cost to the mortgagor.
(h) For the purposes of this Section, unless the context otherwise requires, "deliver" or "delivery" means depositing or causing to be deposited into the United States mail an envelope with postage prepaid that contains a copy of the documents to be delivered and that is addressed to the person whose name and address are provided in the payoff demand. "Delivery" may also include transmitting those documents by telephone facsimile to the person or electronically if the payoff demand specifically requests and authorizes that the documents be transmitted in electronic form.
(i) The mortgagee or mortgagee's agent is not required to comply with the payoff demand statement procedure set forth in this Section when responding to a notice of intent to redeem issued under Section 15-1603(e).
(Source: P.A. 95-961, eff. 1-1-09.)
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