45-21.17A. Requests for copies of notice.

(a) Any person desiring a copy of any notice of sale may, at any time subsequent to the recordation of the security instrument and prior to the filing of notice of hearing provided for in G.S. 45-21.16, cause to be filed for record in the office of the register of deeds of each county where all or any part of the real property is situated, a duly acknowledged request for a copy of such notice of sale. This request shall be a separate instrument entitled "Request for Notice" and shall be signed and acknowledged by the party making the request, shall specify the name and address of the party to whom the notice is to be mailed, shall identify the deed of trust or mortgage by stating the names of the parties thereto, the date of recordation, and the book and page where the same is recorded, and shall be in substantially the following form:

(b) Register of Deeds' Duties. - Upon the filing for record of such request, the register of deeds shall index in the general index of grantors the names of the trustors (mortgagors) recited therein, and the names of the persons requesting copies, with a reference in the index of the book and page of the recorded security instrument to which the request refers.

(c) Mailing Notice. - The mortgagee, trustee, or other person authorized to conduct the sale shall at least 20 days prior to the date of the sale cause to be deposited in the United States mail an envelope with postage prepaid containing a copy of the notice of sale, addressed to each person whose name and address are set forth in the Request for Notice, and directed to the address designated in such request.

(d) Effect of Request on Title. - No request for a copy of any notice filed pursuant to this section nor any statement or allegation in any such request nor any record thereof shall affect the title to real property, or be deemed notice to any person that the person requesting copies of notice has any claim or any right, title or interest in, or lien or charge upon, the property described in the deed of trust or mortgage referred to therein.

(e) Evidence of Compliance. - The affidavit of the mortgagee, trustee, or other person authorized to conduct the sale that copies of the notice of sale have been mailed to all parties filing requests for the same hereunder shall be deemed prima facie true. If on hearing it is proven that a party seeking to have the foreclosure sale set aside or seeking damages resulting from the foreclosure sale was mailed notice in accordance with this section or had actual notice of the sale before it was held (or if a resale was involved, prior to the date of the last resale), then the party shall not prevail. Costs, expenses, and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the prevailing party in any action to set aside the foreclosure sale or for damages resulting from the foreclosure sale shall be allowed as of course to the prevailing party.

(f) Action to Set Foreclosure Sale Aside for Failure to Comply. - A person entitled to notice of sale by virtue of this section shall not bring any action to set the sale aside on grounds that he was not mailed the notice of sale unless such action is brought prior to the filing of the final report and account as provided in G.S. 45-21.33, if the property was purchased by someone other than the secured party; or if brought by the secured party, unless such action is brought within six months of the date of such filing and prior to the time the secured party sells the property to a bona fide purchaser for value, if the property was purchased by the secured party. In either event, the party bringing such an action shall also tender an amount exceeding the reported sale price or the amount of the secured party's interest in the property, including all expenses and accrued interest, whichever is greater. Such tender shall be irrevocable pending final adjudication of the action.

(g) Action for Damages from Foreclosure Sale for Failure to Comply. - A person entitled to notice of sale by virtue of this section shall not bring any action for damages resulting from the sale on grounds that he was not mailed the notice unless such action is brought within six months of the date of the filing of the final report and account as provided in G.S. 45-21.33. The party bringing such an action shall also deposit with the clerk a cash or surety bond approved by the clerk and in such amount as the clerk deems adequate to secure the party defending the action for such costs, expenses, and reasonable attorneys' fees to be incurred in the action.