Building on its proposed nonbank registry related to enforcement orders, the CFPB is now also proposing a public registry requiring posting of provisions in consumer-finance contracts the agency believes threaten consumer legal or free-speech rights when issued by supervised nonbanks. The agency’s concern is based on its view that consumers generally have no ability to understand and alter the agreements presented to them as take-it-or-leave-it propositions with no choice other than a signature or an “agree” box to click. Further, many contractual terms are decided between originators and third parties – e.g., credit reporting agencies, loan servicers, and debt collectors – over which the consumer has no power of choice or ability. The registry is thus also intended to capture these sub-contracts determining back-end consumer risk, a move with considerable implications for proprietary relationships with these third-party providers. Much in the new standards strikes at….
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