Borrower rights and how to file a complaint
As an FCS borrower, you have the following rights:
- To know the current effective rate of interest on your loan by the date it closes
- To be informed that you are required to purchase at-risk stock in your FCS institution
- To receive copies of all the documents you have signed by the time the loan closes
- To be informed promptly as to whether your loan application has been accepted, reduced, or denied
- To be informed of your right to request restructuring for your loan if you cannot meet current payments and your loan becomes distressed
- To obtain a credit committee review of a denial or reduction of a loan request and a denial of a restructuring request
- To have first refusal when your FCS institution decides to sell any agricultural property it has acquired from you
- To receive cooperation from your FCS institution if you seek mediation
Please note that these rights do not extend to agricultural cooperatives that borrow from an FCS institution.
For additional information, please see Frequently asked questions about borrower rights.
What to do if you believe your rights have been denied or violated
If you believe your rights have been denied or violated, you should inform the institution and make a good faith effort to resolve the problem. You may also submit a complaint to FCA by sending us the following information:
- Name(s) of the borrower(s)
- Loan number(s)
- Name and address of the lending institution servicing the loan
- The specific statute, regulation, or right you believe has been violated
- The dates involved
- Other supporting documentation
Send your correspondence to this address:
Director
Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
Farm Credit Administration
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102-5090
As the regulator of the Farm Credit System, we have the authority to enforce borrower rights. However, please keep in mind that FCA does not have the authority to interfere in the management or business decisions of an FCS institution unless federal laws or regulations have been violated or unless the decisions affect the safety and soundness of the institution. We do not mediate disputes between borrowers and FCS institutions, and we do not intervene in legal proceedings between borrowers and FCS institutions.
The borrower complaint process is an informal process in which we investigate complaints against FCS institutions regarding noncompliance with the laws and regulations over which we have enforcement authority. These investigations are not designed to provide financial restitution to borrowers or to be an administrative adjudication of the dispute between the borrower and the institution.
If, in the course of these investigations, we identify any violations of law or regulation, these findings are handled under our examination and enforcement authorities, which include the authority to issue borrower rights directives.