Date Received: 2024-01-21
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing yo
Consumer Complaint: I had refinanced my home a couple of years ago, put down a large down payment at the time, and had purposefully set up my mortgage account to where I would not have an escrow account because I wanted to pay my homeowners insurance and property taxes separately to keep my monthly mortgage payments down. Freedom Mortgage purchased my loan from the company I refinanced with. I had been paying my taxes and homeowner insurance on my home separately for years without any problem. I had XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX through XXXX and XXXX XXXX out of XXXX, TX. I unfortunately missed XXXX payment on my XXXX XXXX with XXXX back in XXXX but as soon as XXXX and XXXX informed me of this, I had them try to get me back on XXXX immediately but XXXX was not writing new policies back then and would not allow me to go back with them for my homeowner insurance. So XXXX XXXX XXXX wrote me a Homeowner Insurance Policy with XXXX XXXX XXXX that I was making monthly payments on but the policy with XXXX XXXX that I bought myself did not start until XX/XX/XXXX. I was paying my monthly homeowner insurance and had already paid my property taxes for the year by the end of XXXX. My monthly mortgage payment was {$620.00} and my homeowners policy with XXXX XXXX was a little over {$400.00} a month. My property taxes this year were {$3300.00} approximately but last year were {$5000.00}. I had been taking care of these expenses myself. I am a hardworking single mom. I thought everything was going as it should until suddenly in the month of XXXX, with no notification whatsoever from my mortgage company, Freedom Mortgage raised my monthly payment from {$620.00} in XXXX to {$1600.00} in XXXX. When I called and asked them about it, they said it was to pay my homeowners insurance. I called XXXX XXXX immediately and they said that my Mortgage Company had no right to do that because my homeowner insurance policy with them was written as a non escrow policy which meant I alone was the only person to make payments on the policy. XXXX XXXX told me that Freedom Mortgage had overpaid my policy by a little over {$1000.00} which XXXX XXXX sent back to me in a check that I then used for my high monthly mortgage payment that I now have with Freedom Mortgage unfortunately. I called XXXX and XXXX and spoke to XXXX, who also confirmed that Freedom Mortgage did not have the right to pay my homeowners insurance since the policy I wrote with them was not with escrow and was a policy I would pay myself. Then when I called Freedom Mortgage back about all of this, they said I just needed to write them an internal message that I would pay my own homeowner insurance and taxes and they would fix this for me and get my payment back the way it was before. I wrote the internal message to Freedom Mortgage and they responded telling me that because I had a month and XXXX days lapse in payment on my homeowners insurance policy from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX when I was getting switched from XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX, they created an escrow account and were paying my homeowner insurance now and for the life of my entire loan. They did this without my consent and without notifying me. They said the only way that they would change this would be for me to show I was covered XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX which I can not show because I was just notified by my insurance company XXXX and XXXX then and was in the process of getting switched to XXXX XXXX XXXX. When I estimated that since I had already paid my property taxes for the year and that my payment with the homeowner insurance they added in should only be a little over {$1000.00} and I asked them about that. Freedom Mortgage stated that I had a deficit in the escrow account that they created for me against my will that I did not want and that I had to pay for my homeowner insurance and that deficit that makes my payment now {$1600.00} a month. It has been an absolute nightmare dealing with Freedom Mortgage! They do not care about their customers! Where is the XXXX XXXX Freedom Mortgage, when a single hardworking mom can not be allowed to pay her homeowner insurance and property taxes separately and not have an escrow account if she does not want one in order to keep her monthly mortgage payments at a rate she can afford?
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 754XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/XXXX We have a VA loan with Freedom Mortgage. This is a difficult company to work with. It gives confusing, conflicting information and the attitude of employees is Freedom is always right and the consumer is at fault. WE HAVE TWO ISSUES : Wrong house insurer and escrow. 1st House Insurance. XX/XX/XXXX Freedom Mortgage sent us a letter stating that our house payment was going up. I called Freedom Mortgage and found out they had the wrong insurance company. XX/XX/XXXX, we changed from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I verified with XXXX XXXX that they sent correct information to Freedom, I also in XX/XX/XXXX sent the information to Freedom with the change and I called XXXX to let them know. The change did not occur. XX/XX/XXXX I emailed to Freedom the XXXX XXXX Policy while on the phone with a Freedom Mortgage lady. I told her we had already paid for the year. She said she would process the change and it was up to me to get a refund from XXXX for the overpayment. I called XXXX and got a nice lady who saw some incomplete paperwork from XX/XX/XXXX that was not processed correctly and cancelled the policy backdating to XXXX and processed a check to us. So, I thought we were fine. I called Freedom back to ask a question and they still showed XXXX and said I owed a lot more in escrow and I would have to pay more. I tried to explain I changed insurance companies and paid the new insurance company for the year. I was at fault according to Freedom. I am attaching a letter I faxed, mailed to various addresses with attachments to get the change. On XXXX XXXX XXXX I went online to the Freedom portal and again sent the letter and attached documentation to correct the insurer. I told Freedom that the insurance had been paid. On XXXX XXXX XXXX Freedom sent me a note saying they changed insurers, and they sent a check for {$2600.00} to XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX never asked for payment ; Freedom just sent it. So, I went to XXXX XXXX office got them to send me back the amount of {$2600.00} which they were holding since no payment was due. On XXXX XXXX XXXX I asked Freedom where to return the check back to that I got back from XXXX XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX Freedom told me in the portal in a letter to send it to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX IL XXXX which I did with return receipt signature requested. So I mailed the check XX/XX/XXXX stating both on check and with note attached to be put back into escrow. On XX/XX/XXXX a lady called from Freedom Mortgage called on my husband 's phone which I happened to answer. She wanted to know what to do with the check. I assumed she had it, but she said no She said I sent it to the wrong address. It should have been sent to an address in XXXX XXXX. She gave me another address and said to call XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to see if they have received the check. I called the number she gave me on XX/XX/XXXX and it is a fax number. This is normal with Freedom incorrect information is the norm. Today XX/XX/XXXX I have no idea where the check I sent is or if Freedom has it. When I mailed, faxed the change of insurance companies to Freedom I got silence. It took a lot of effort to just get insurance companies changed. I will attach documents so you can see this. As of now there is a missing check of {$2600.00}. What am I supposed to do now? Stop payment on this check and send another check to another address?? At what point will Freedom change the escrow amount to show the correct amount with XXXX XXXX? They are still using XXXX information. 2nd ESCROW : What a mess. We pay the taxes on the property. Recently we started to pay for the house insurance. 1st the escrow still reflects XXXX information, which is incorrect, see above. We are asking Freedom to discontinue escrow. Our goal is to reduce the house payment. Also, in looking through all the notes back and forth on the portal there was a reference to my loan. So, I pulled out the VA loan paperwork and there is a place for escrow, and it also states it can be discontinued. So, I have repeated asked for it to be discontinued which Freedom won't do due to having a balance. I have asked Freedom how much more needs to be paid after they cash the {$2600.00} check and they will not answer. First the question is where is the {$2600.00} check. ( What is interesting is that the lady at XXXX XXXX cautioned me that some insurance companies require escrow. I contacted the VA since Freedom employees say the VA requires escrow and VA said they do not require escrow. It is up to the insurance company. Again misinformation. ) Freedom Mortgage is such a difficult company to work with. The answers keep changing depending on who you talk to and customer service tells me it's an escrow question and and escrow says its customer service. And I found out that the portal is handled by a computer, so the portal sees one word and addresses that and misses the intent of the letter. I am at a loss. I have spent many, many hours trying to get documentation correct. If I could afford it I would pay off the loan, but I can not. So I am stuck. I need your help.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 32257
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-21
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: My company is improperly collecting taxes and insurance. I am tax exempt yet they collected for a whole year tax that was not payable, forcing me to almost double my correct payment. then, although I have a fully paid homeowners insurance policy, they have forced placed my homeowners insurance for no reason and refuse to refund the escrow payments i have made. i have used their messaging system for at least 6 months and receive only form letters letting me know they have received the letter as required by federal law, but i never hear a response.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MI
Zip: 48236
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-19
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Payment process
Consumer Complaint: I set up my payments to pay twice monthly. I had to pay 1 month in advance to even set up the payment plan this way. I had been on this payment plan for around 1 year. Then in XX/XX/2023, they charged me a late fee and saying I didn't pay the full amount on time. I called the company and the person I talked so waived the late fee because she was able to look at the payment history. I just noticed they are charging me late fees again because they are not applying the partial payments correctly.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: UT
Zip: 84005
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-19
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing yo
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX, I requested information from Freedom Mortgage regarding the criteria and information needed to cancel the escrow account on my mortgage. I recently had a XXXX to remove PMI that put the XXXX of the loan below 80 %. When I received the requested information from their Customer Care representatives, multiple times I was told that the XXXX of my loan was now below 80 %, that I met all criteria to cancel escrow on my account, and multiple reps confirmed that if I requested removal of escrow, it would be successful. I then spent significant time gathering the requested information and completing the forms to request cancellation of escrow based on the information provided to me by Freedom Mortgage representatives and submitted the request in XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a document in the mail stating that my request was denied due to XXXX of the loan not meeting the required 80 %. I called the Customer Care center again and was transferred between multiple representatives who did not know how to help before I finally reached a representative who informed me that the XXXX could not be used for consideration of XXXX for removing escrow and that they would only use the purchase price for XXXX calculation. This directly contradicted the information provided to me by multiple representatives on previous calls and led to significant wasted time by me calling in, waiting on hold, and filling out forms all based on incorrect information provided to me by Freedom Mortgage.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: PA
Zip: 190XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-18
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: Foreclosure
Consumer Complaint: I am writing to bring to your attention the challenges and frustrations I have encountered in my dealings with your mortgage company, particularly in relation to the account associated with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. In XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, my father passed away, leading to the initiation of the process to settle his estate. The gathering of the will and obtaining surrogate information understandably took a couple of months. During this time, I took the initiative to make partial mortgage payments, and in XXXX, I informed Freedom Mortgage of my intention to sell the house. In response to my inquiry, They advised me to pursue a deed transfer, incurring a cost of {$1000.00} and taking several weeks to process and submit. Despite my repeated communication with the representatives, emphasizing my role as the executor of the estate, the request for necessary information did not arise until XXXX. After asking and pleading for several months on how I can move along with the sale of the property. Regrettably, when the information was finally provided, I was informed that it was too late, resulting in the initiation of pre-foreclosure proceedings. Subsequent legal consultations revealed that a deed transfer was unnecessary for selling the house ; being the executor was sufficient. This information would have been extremely beneficial and would have omitted undue grief. In an effort to rectify the situation, I took out a loan under my personal name to cover the past due amount, even though I am not legally liable for these debts. Unfortunately, my attempt to settle the outstanding amount is being rejected by your Freedom Mortgage, demanding additional lawyer fees on top of the already considerable financial burden. I am now facing significant expenses, including {$3000.00} for lawyer fees, {$1000.00} for a deed transfer that was unnecessary, and an extra {$3000.00} for the loan, all while being stuck with a property I intended to sell since XXXX. I believe that had I been provided with accurate information and guidance from the outset, the house would have been sold, and these issues resolved months ago. I kindly request your immediate attention to this matter and a thorough review of the circumstances, as well as a reconsideration of the requested fees. I anticipate a prompt resolution to avoid further financial strain and potential legal actions. Your cooperation in rectifying this situation is highly appreciated. The house is currently on the market and has showings on a daily basis, I hope we don't get penalized for taking the wrong direction and losing all my parents have worked so hard for. I am highly anticipating the resolution of this burden. Thank you, XXXX XXXX
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NJ
Zip: 070XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-18
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue: Delays in the application process
Consumer Complaint: I'm a veteran that is on contract to sell my home. I faxed the Assumption Request Form provided by Freedom Mortgage to their assumption department on XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX that provided information about the buyers that would be assuming my VA mortgage. I was told by an assumption representative prior to this date that their assumption process takes XXXX days to complete. Based on this, the sales contract for my home had an early XX/XX/XXXX closing date. BetweenXX/XX/XXXX andXX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, I called Freedom Mortgage at least XX/XX/XXXXtimes ( dates I documented are : XX/XX/XXXX andXX/XX/XXXX). In nearly all of these calls, the customer service representative would attempt to connect me to the assumption department that wouldn't pick up, and I would then be circulated back to a general customer representative that couldn't provide any information beyond " our assumption department is really busy. '' The representative would also place a request to the assumption department to call me back and promise the call back would happen within XXXX weeks. I recall only XX/XX/XXXXcall backs from the assumption department and they would reiterate how busy they are and they it takes XX/XX/XXXXdays to complete the process without being able to confirm any action had been taken or information about when the process would begin. At no point, could any representative tell me when the process would begin or why it was taking so long to begin. OnXX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX ( nearly XX/XX/XXXXdays after providing the Assumption Request Form ), I finally received an email from a loan officer stating the process would take XX/XX/XXXXmore days once the buyers submit their application. Of note here, the buyers communicated to my real estate agent that they had also attempted to start the process repeatedly since XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX. I provided all requested information back to the Freedom Mortgage loan officer that same day ( XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX ), which was acknowledge by the loan officer on XX/XX/XXXXIn thisXX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX email, the loan officer indicated it would take XX/XX/XXXXbusiness days for underwriting to provide conditional approval for the buyers. Given Freedom Mortgage 's delay in starting the assumption process, we had to sign an amended sales agreement to push back the closing date to the end of XX/XX/XXXX. I requested a status update from the loan officer on XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX by email ( no response as of XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX ) and the buyers told my real estate agent that they have not been notified on their application after multiple requests for information from the loan officer. We have provided Freedom Mortgage nearly XX/XX/XXXXmonths to complete a process their representatives indicated takesXX/XX/XXXX days, and I'm very concerned the sales transaction will fall through because of their delays and lack of communication.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MT
Zip: 59718
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-19
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: I have as they call it Hazard insurance and always have my XXXX XXXX covers it. Freedom mortgage is forcing me to take there insurance. Ive repeatedly sent proof. All I get is the run around. Ive contacted there insurance department and was told it would be cancelled to call back the following Monday to confirm I called Tuesday that was XX/XX/2024 then I received a then I went on there app to see what exactly was the charges and they charged me again these were XXXX {$700.00} payments in XXXX my mortgage went up {$200.00} and XXXX it will be an extra {$400.00} they say its because of an escrow shortage but they created the shortage I have repeatedly called sentsecured messages and get no where today I received a letter saying that I tried to cancel my escrow I never did that all I want is for them to remove there insurance and put my mortgage where its supposed to be I have insurance and proof thank you.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CT
Zip: 06053
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-12
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/2023 I received a letter from Freedom mortgage informing me that the PMI would be cancelled/terminated. As of now it still hasn't been cancelled. When I contact them they have different people call me back at a later date and i have to explain what happened and they were all able to view the letter they sent me and told me that someone would contact me to clear it up. The next time someone contacted me they no longer had a copy of the letter so I sent them a copy of my letter. I have talked to eight different people and i'm not getting anywhere instead they sent me a letter telling me that I have to pay an appraiser in order for them to evaluate. I am attaching letter from mortgage company informing me that they are dropping PMI, copies of statements showing the charges and the letter telling me i don't qualify when My property value has increased to more then double of what I owe. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 77009
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-17
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing yo
Consumer Complaint: The home secured by the loan burned down, and Freedom Mortgage has been holding all of the insurance funds in escrow. They refuse to return the amount to rebuild or even the overage above the outstanding loan amount. The mortgage company has stolen thousands of dollars from us before, so we were wary of sending them the check, but when we were assured that they would process the amount, and send back the overage we sent them the check. They have been holding the entire amount including an overage of about {$100000.00} with no communication.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: HI
Zip: 96761
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A