GWTHINC is a not-for-profit organization. By signing these TERMS and CONDITIONS you agree to comply with rules of submitting all requested documentation and participating in an one-on-one pre-purchase counseling session. Once you have submitted all requested documentation and completed your one-on-one pre-purchase counseling you will receive your Home Buyer Education 8 hour course certificate. When you enter into a discussion with your housing counselor, we want you to understand the nature of the counseling relationship. The Counselor has an obligation to provide you with information that will support your housing goal with the utmost care, integrity, and honesty.
Counseling is a counselor-to-client or counselor-to-group activity during which the counselor completes some or all of the following activities:
Interviews you to obtain basic information about you, your family, and your housing needs, problem or goal helps you determine a potentially realizable objective you set for yourself, identifies resources within the Agency (such as loans, grants or rental opportunities) within the community or government agencies that might assist in meeting the client’s need or resolving the client’s problem, designs and explains a counseling plan that suggests how you can address your need or desire, recommends additional private or group counseling sessions conducted by the Agency or by other community organizations.
1. I understand that GWTHINC provides housing counseling after which I will receive a written action plan consisting of recommendations for handling my finances, possibly including referrals to other housing agencies as appropriate.
2. I acknowledge that I have received a copy of GWTHINC’s Privacy Policy.
3. I may be referred to other housing services of the organization or another agency or agencies as appropriate that may be able to assist with particular concerns that have been identified. I understand that I am not obligated to use any of the services offered to me.
4. I acknowledged that I received GWTHINC partnership directory and I’m in no way obligated to use any services.
5. A counselor may answer questions and provide information, but not give legal advice. If I want legal advice, I will be referred for appropriate assistance.
6. I understand that GWTHINC provides information and education on numerous loan products and housing programs and I further understand that the housing counseling I receive from GWTHINC in no way obligates me to use any products/services.
GWTHINC is committed to assuring the privacy of individuals and families who have contacted us for assistance. We realize that the concerns you bring to us are highly personal in nature. We assure you that all information shared both orally and in writing will be managed within legal and ethical considerations. Your “nonpublic personal information,” such as your total debt information, income, living expenses, and personal information concerning your financial circumstances, will be provided to creditors, program monitors, and others only with your authorization and signature on the Counseling Agreement. We may also use anonymous aggregated case file information for the purpose of evaluating our services, gathering valuable research information and designing future program.
Information we receive from you orally, on applications or other forms, such as your name, address, social security number, assets, and income;
Information about your transactions with us, your creditors, or others, such as your account balance, payment history, parties to transaction and credit card usage; and
Information we receive from a credit reporting agency, such as your credit history.
Release of your information to third parties
Within the organization, we restrict access to nonpublic personal information about you to those employees who need to know that information to provide services to you. We maintain physical electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard your nonpublic persona information.
Counselor Obligations
Your counselor represents your interests and will provide you information and referrals on programs and resources that best meet your needs without regard to any other consideration. Your counselor cannot provide you with legal or financial advice; however your counselor will make recommendations based on his/her knowledge of programs related to your goal. To avoid steering, the recommendation will include competing sources as well. It is up to you to review the recommendation and make a choice about which company and services you want to apply for whether or not the company was referred by the Counselor. You choose.
PRIVACY POLICY AND PRACTICES OF GWTHINC
We at GWTHINC housing counseling agency value your trust and are committed to the responsible management, use, and protection of personal information. This notice describes our policy regarding the collection and disclosure of personal information. Personal information, as used in this notice, means information that identifies an individual personally and is not otherwise publicly available information. It includes personal financial information such as credit history, income, employment history, financial assets, bank account information, and financial debts. It also includes your social security number and other information that you have provided us on any applications or forms that you have completed.
Confidentiality and Security
We restrict access to personal information about you to those of our employees who need to know that information to provide products and services to you and to help them do their jobs, including underwriting, servicing of loans, making loan decisions, aiding you in obtaining loans from others, and financial counseling. We maintain physical and electronic security procedures to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of personal information in our possession and to guard against unauthorized access. We use locked files, user authentication, and detection software to protect your information. Our safeguards comply with federal regulations to guard your personal information.
I/we acknowledge receipt of a copy of these TERMS and CONDITIONS and understand that GWTHINC may receive fees or grants in connection with my transaction. I also acknowledge that my counselor will disclose if there is a transaction based grant or fee or other potential conflict related to the services I/we receive.