Mortgage applications may be turned down because of poor appraisals. Review the appraisal to see if the information it contains is accurate and whether the appraiser considered illegal factors, such as the racial composition of the neighborhood. If you feel that the lender has not treated your mortgage application fairly because of your race, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, age, family status, handicap, or because you receive public assistance income, you can take several steps. Complain to the lender. Sometimes you can persuade the lender to reconsider your application.
Many states have their own equal credit opportunity laws.
Contact a local private fair housing group. If your mortgage application is denied, the lender must give you the name and address of the agency to contact. If you win, you can recover your actual damages and be awarded punitive damages if the court finds that the lender's conduct was willful. You also may recover reasonable lawyer's fees and court costs. You also might consider joining with others to file a class action suit.