Satisfaction, Release or Cancellation of Mortgage by Individual
Assignments Generally: Lenders, or holders of mortgages or deeds of trust, often assign mortgages or deeds of trust to other lenders, or third parties. When this is done the assignee (person who received the assignment) steps into the place of the original lender or assignor. To effectuate an assignment, the general rules is that the assignment must be in proper written format and recorded to provide notice of the assignment.
Satisfactions Generally: Once a mortgage or deed of trust is paid, the holder of the mortgage is required to satisfy the mortgage or deed of trust of record to show that the mortgage or deed of trust is no longer a lien on the property. The general rule is that the satisfaction must be in proper written format and recorded to provide notice of the satisfaction. If the lender fails to record a satisfaction within set time limits, the lender may be responsible for damages set by statute for failure to timely cancel the lien. Depending on your state, a satisfaction may be called a Satisfaction, Cancellation, or Reconveyance. Some states still recognize marginal satisfaction but this is slowly being phased out. A marginal satisfaction is where the holder of the mortgage physically goes to the recording office and enters a satisfaction on the face of the the recorded mortgage, which is attested by the clerk.
Wisconsin Law
Execution of Assignment or Satisfaction: Must be signed by the mortgagee.
Assignment: An assignment must be in writing and recorded.
Demand to Satisfy: Mortgagor may request in writing by certified mail, whereupon mortgagee has 7 days to record satisfaction.
Recording Satisfaction: Mortgagee shall execute and record the satisfaction either within 30 days following the satisfaction, or within 7 days after receiving the Mortgagor's written request to do so.
Penalty: If Mortgagee fails to record satisfaction within the above time limits, Mortgagee will be liable to the Mortgagor for penalty damages of $100 for each day that the violation remains uncorrected, up to a total of $2,000, plus actual damages resulting from the violation.
Acknowledgment: An assignment or satisfaction must contain a proper Wisconsin acknowledgment, or other acknowledgment approved by Statute.
Wisconsin Statutes
706.05(10)
706.05(10)(a)
(a) Unless otherwise requested in writing or unless par. (b) applies, a mortgage-holder shall execute and record a proper full satisfaction of a mortgage, together with any instruments required to establish of record the right of the mortgagor to satisfy the mortgage, within 30 days after the date on which the mortgagor completes full performance of the conditions of themortgage.
706.05(10)(b)
(b) A mortgage-holder shall execute and record a mortgage satisfaction as required under par. (a) within 7 days after both the mortgagor completes full performance and the mortgage-holder receives by certified mail a written request from the mortgagor for a full satisfaction.
706.05(10)(c)
(c) Any person who violates par. (b) is liable to the mortgagor for penalty damages of $100 for each day that the violation remains uncorrected, up to a total of $2,000, plus actual damages resulting from the violation. A person may not be held liable for actual damages unless the mortgagor paid the costs that are to be compensated.
706.05(10)(d)
(d) A mortgage-holder may charge a mortgagor for the cost of fees paid in recording the satisfaction.
