Can my servicer refuse a partial payment if I am behind on my mortgage?
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Short answer
If you are in default and the servicer has said the entire balance is due, the CFPB says the lender generally can require the full past-due amount to bring the loan current. That accelerated-default situation is the scenario the Bureau addresses. Other behind-payment cases can differ.
Full explanation
The CFPB answer that supports this question is about a loan already in default after the servicer has notified you that the whole balance is due—in other words, the loan has been accelerated. In that situation, the Bureau says the lender generally can require the full past-due amount to make the loan current. The cited page does not say whether a servicer must accept a in every other delinquency.
If a servicer will not take a payment, the CFPB points to a HUD-approved housing counselor and to its complaint channel. If foreclosure papers have been served, the Bureau says legal advice may also be needed. This FAQ does not set a foreclosure timeline or say what a particular servicer must accept.
Sources reviewed
I am at least two payments behind on my mortgage payments. I tried to pay one month's worth of what I owe, but my servicer said I have to pay the whole amount. Can the servicer do this?
Limits
Educational summary of public sources. Not personalized advice. The original official source controls where applicable.
Last reviewed
September 10, 2026
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