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Consumer
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Written by Administrator
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SCAM ALERT! Don't be cheated by catchy advertising that tells you that you can get your free credit report. Even though it has a .com address, AnnualCreditReport.com is the only authorized source for the free annual credit report that the credit reporting companies must give you. To confirm this, read what the Federal Trade Commission has to say at: http://www.ftc.gov/freereports . Most companies that advertise for a free credit report try to charge you money for something you can get for free at AnnualCreditReport.com, or try to sell you other services. |
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Foreclosures
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Written by LawNY Staff
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www.LawNY.org
Legal Steps the Bank Will Take
The bank will usually send you many letters that ask you to catch up with your monthly payments. It usually takes several months for the bank to decide that it will start a foreclosure case to take back your house. Your mortgage cannot be foreclosed on without a court action. You will be served with a notice and given 20 days to answer the papers. If you do not answer the court papers, the bank will probably ask the court for permission to sell your home at a foreclosure sale. Even if you do answer the court papers, the court will eventually give the bank permission to sell your home if it decides that you have failed to make your payments. You should talk to a lawyer about what defenses you can write in your answer.
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Welfare
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Written by LawNY Staff
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www.LawNY.org
What is the HEAP program?
Under the HEAP program, the federal government gives New York State a set amount of money to help low-income residents with their heating costs. Benefits are available through the Regular HEAP program. Households facing an emergency may be eligible for some additional HEAP benefits through the Emergency HEAP program. The HEAP program is not an entitlement program. The money is granted to NYS on a yearly basis, and once the money runs out the program closes for that year. |
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Public- Advocate Information
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Written by Jeff Hogue
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The SOPHIA project is LAWNY's Statewide Online Pleading Help and Information Assistant.
SOPHIA is creating online, interactive help for low income people to create answers to legal complaints, create petitions, or get customized legal information via the web.
SOPHIA is also creating demonstration examples of document assembly tools for use by civil legal services advocates. SOPHIA is funded in part by the Legal Services Corporation's TIG program.
To see an example of this exciting new tool, click [here] to go to Chicago-Kent Law School's site regarding the A2J Author.
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Housing and Eviction
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Written by Deborah Muntner
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www.LawNY.org
Many people who sign rent to own agreements end up evicted and lose all the money they put into the home!
A rent-to-own home may seem like a good choice if you want to buy a home right now but need a little time to save for a down-payment or build up your credit rating. But at LawNY, we have noticed that some landlords “sell” the same home over and over again. Tenants sign a rent-to-own agreement, move in, and fix up the home. After six months or so, the landlord finds a reason to evict the tenants and keeps all of their money and their improvements. Then the landlord gets someone new to sign a rent to own agreement.
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