Fair Lending Notices are part of the application process for securing a loan. It was part of the 1977 Housing Financial Discrimination Act. The document states that it is illegal to discriminate against credit applicants on the basis of trends in the neighborhood or geographic area surrounding a housing accommodation, race, religion, sex, marital status, color, national origin or ancestry.http://www.fha-home-loans.com/fair_lending_fha_loans.htm A lending institution may not refuse you financial assistance for the purpose of purchasing, construction, rehabilitation, improvement or refinancing of housing accommodations. A disclosure stating the above must be sent by the lender to the applicant with a loan application. A copy of the sent notice must be kept on file with the issuing borrower as to demonstrate that the notice was sent out.http://www.mortgagesanalyzed.com/loanDocuments/fairLendingNotice/fairLendingNotice.php

According to HUD a loaning institution may not use the reasons listed above to do the following:

• Refuse to make a mortgage loan.
• Refuse to provide information regarding loans
• Impose different terms or conditions on a loan, such as different interest rates, points, or fees
• Discriminate in appraising property
• Refuse to purchase a loan or set different terms or conditions for purchasing a loanhttp://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/fair_lending

If while applying for a home loan you feel you were discriminated against for the reasons listed in the Fair Lending Notice document you may file a complaint with HUD, U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD will investigate your complaint with no cost to you. To file go to the housing discrimination complaint website and from there you may fill out an online form, call their toll-free number, 1 (800) 669-9777, or print out a form and mail it to HUD.http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/fair_lending