Date Received: 2024-01-02
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: I hold a mortgage with Freedom Mortgage. In XXXX, my scrow payments amounted to {$6000.00}, and in XXXX, they increased to {$7200.00}. However, in XXXX, there was an unexpected and significant hike in my escrow payments, soaring to {$22000.00}, which is an alarming 400 % increase from the previous year. Despite my efforts in requesting a re-evaluation of this surge, the escrow was further raised. I have been informed of a supposed deficiency in my escrow account and acknowledge that taxes and insurance costs may fluctuate. Nevertheless, the rationale behind such a steep 400 % increment in escrow remains unclear, as the explanations provided are inadequate and unsatisfactory. Regrettably, my attempts to seek a resolution or to engage with a supervisor for further assistance have been unsuccessful. The only solution presented to me is to comply with and absorb this substantial 400 % increase in payments, a proposition that is both unreasonable and financially burdensome.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 33018
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-02
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing yo
Consumer Complaint: I've been attempting to get my XXXX owners insurance issues with the escrow fixed since XXXX when I bundled it with my XXXX insurance. I paid the home owners in full for a year but they're still tacking it on my XXXX XXXX XXXX after I've asked repeatedly to get it removed from my payment. It makes it harder to change company 's as rates change. I've been told I'll get a follow-up with the escrow department for months now and have yet to hear back or get the letter in the mail they claim to be sending. I've also made payments and it states I haven't but they have my money. I've not been happy with Freedom Mortgage since our loan was bought and have no recourse. I've gotten feedback I need to do everything through their secured messages on their app when it decides to load. And if I attempt to attach files, it starts over. I am fed up at this point waiting and now it's going to affect my XXXXXXXX XXXX payments which is making it harder on my budget.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CO
Zip: 80550
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-02
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing yo
Consumer Complaint: My mortgage is owned by XXXX XXXX and serviced by Freedom Mortgage. I have been unable to set up an online account with the servicer Freedom Mortgage for over three months. For that reason, I have been unable to set up automatic payments or any sort of payment plan for my mortgage. Problem : when I go to set up my account with Freedom Mortgage, the website says that my last name and SS number and loan number do not match the data in their records. I spoke with representatives from Freedom Mortgage over the phone around XX/XX/2023. They were unable to fix the problem but said they sent the issue to their IT department. The representative said that their IT department would fix the problem, and that she would call me back when the problem was resolved. I have not heard from Freedom Mortgage since. There appears to be no way to change the loan servicer if I am unhappy with the level or quality of service they provide. This is unfair, and should be changed because it affects my ability to pay off the mortgage. As a mortgagee, I should be allowed to choose who services my loan, not XXXX XXXX, which as far as I am concerned, is basically the federal government. If the servicer doesn't provide adequate service to the customer, then the customer should be able to require the mortgage holder to switch who services the loan. There should be consequences to the servicer for providing poor or inadequate customer service.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: OR
Zip: 97206
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-30
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue: Changes in loan terms during the application process
Consumer Complaint: I have a mortgage loan from Freedom Mortgage. I received an unexpected call from Freedom Mortgage XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX. He had advised that Freedom Mortgage was the proactively offering me a refinance offer due lower rates with FHA and that it wouldnt cost me anything, and with no closing costs. I told him this all sounds great but it sounds too good to be true. He said they were offering this so I wouldnt refinance anywhere else. That night I went through all of the paperwork and signed the okay. Two-three days later I receive a document requesting that I sign an agreement approve an increased loan amount. I did not sign as it was a redflag to me. After trying to get a hold of XXXX XXXX via email and my credit personal loan phone for a few days, he finally answers from my work number. I address my concern and he tells me that at the time of closing, the numbers will make sense again. The closing documents will reflect what he had told me in the original call. He tells me I dont have to sign this new document. I hang up and decide just to play it by ear. A few days pass again and I get a notification that its time for closing and I receive another document ( estimated closing cost ). Again nothing matches what he says. After several more emails and calls go unanswered, XXXX XXXX calls me back. His name is XXXX XXXX. XXXX acknowledges that he reviewed the calls that I had with XXXX and that he had misinformed me but it was just a simple oversight. I point out that XXXX had multiple opportunities to tell me he was misleading me ( point blank saying it sounded to good to be true/whats the catch?, follow up call asking why the document is now including closing costs ). XXXX informs me that my refinance will have closings costs and asks if I want to continue. I tell him no and that there is no way what XXXX did was a simple oversight. He had many opportunities to try and tell me he made a mistake. My concern is that I luckily caught it in time. How many other times has XXXX/Freedom Mortgage done this and gotten away with it? These are just predatory practices. Especially given that if you got a loan in the past year, your rates are real high and most lenders people want to improve it. If I hadnt caught it, I would have got a better rate but when rates really do lower, I would have a hard to refinancing again due to the closing costs at the expense of my equity. How many people have been scammed into this? Please look into this. I am so disgusted with Freedom Mortgage.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WA
Zip: 98408
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-30
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-30
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: Despite an overage to my escrow account balance my mortgage company insists that my monthly mortgage payment must be increased to satisfy annual payments for mortgage insurance and property tax. In XXXX my mortgage payment increased from XXXX to XXXX. The mortgage lender, upon my inquiry, explained the aforementioned increase was a result of an increased escrow balance requirement due to increasing mortgage insurance and property tax. In an effort to avoid future negative escrow balance issues, I made an additional surplus payment causing an overage to my escrow balance. This XX/XX/XXXX I was informed by the mortgage lender that my mortgage payment would increase due to an increased escrow balance requirement. Despite my current escrow balance overage, the lender issued a check, to me, for the overage and increased my monthly mortgage payment for the XXXX calendar year to offset the increased escrow balance requirement resulting from increases to my mortgage insurance and property tax. I was able to make contact with the escalation department representative, XXXX, who returned the overage funds to the escrow account at my request, but informed me that this action would have no impact on the pending increased monthly payment ; additionally she informed me that any future increase to my property tax and/or mortgage insurance would cause an increase to the escrow balance requirement resulting in an increase to my monthly mortgage payment throughout the life of the loan.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NC
Zip: 275XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-30
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-30
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: I had lost my job and fell behind on my payments. I asked the company for help during that time. They said I did not qualify for assistance, but instead, I had to pay a lump sum by XX/XX/XXXX. When I calculated the amount they said I had to pay by XX/XX/XXXX, it didn't add up to my current mortgage payments. I asked for a breakdown and they could not provide me with me. After the XXXX email from them, they said I was short on my escrow and now I have to pay more, which still does not equate to the amount they were claiming I would owe. Within this back and forth with the mortgage company, I was able to catch up on missed payments, but they are still increasing my mortgage payments and the amounts do not match based on escrow analysis from XX/XX/XXXX and the one they quickly processed recently.I just want the correct information because I now do not trust that they are accurately calculating the amounts on my account.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 33071
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-30
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-29
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: Applying for or obtaining a modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or deed-in-li
Consumer Complaint: I originally applied for XXXX assistance in XX/XX/XXXX prior to missing a payment as I had been unemployed since XX/XX/XXXX and my unemployment income ran out. Online, it kept saying that my application had expired and I needed to do a new one ( I had just completed it ). I called Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX and she was supposed to submit the XXXX request on her end. She stated I would have a decision on XX/XX/XXXX. After the application supposedly went through, documentation was requested and I provided that documentation on XX/XX/XXXX via e-mail, within the timeframe I was allotted. I received a phone call XX/XX/XXXX, which had no substance to it. They asked if I had any questions and if I submitted my documentation ( they should be aware that I did ). She also stated they previously requested " Letter From Agency ''. Again, information I already know and already provided them. She asked if I knew which agency they were talking about. " Letter from Agency '' is vague and does not specify what they need or from whom. However, unemployment agency and food stamp information were already provided in the XX/XX/XXXX e-mail. I made a payment XX/XX/XXXX and on XX/XX/XXXX, I received an e-mail that said my account status has changed. I logged onto the website and it no longer says my account is in XXXX XXXX XXXX. When I try to look at my application, it is again saying that my application has expired and I will need to submit a new one. This has been the endless cycle of submitting and resubmitting their applications. They claim you have online access to view your account, but when you go online and click on XXXX application it circles you back to another webpage and you can never get the information you need or want. They even admitted on a phone call that it does not work properly ( XX/XX/XXXX phone call ). This has been beyond frustrating and should be unlawful to have a process that takes you in a circle because they do not really want to assistance with a loan modification when the consumer is having extenuating, short- term circumstances.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 344XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-29
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Consumer Complaint: Freedom mortgage is my mortgage company and they state that I am behind on my payment. I have proof that I paid XXXX for the YTD and their statement shows that i paid XXXX YTD witch is XXXX unpaid to the mortgage company. I have called XXXX times and got XXXX different answers the XXXX person i talked to told me its because i didn't make a full payment and i was XXXX dollars short back in XXXX so paid the XXXX dollar 's thinking ok so now it should be up to date. The XXXX person i called told me i didn't pay XXXX so I went over my bank statements and i paid XXXX so i called them back and they told me I didn't pay XXXX payment. I told her I've got the bank statements to prove I've never missed a payment, so I sent them all XXXX statements from 2023. After that I received a 12 month statement from the Freedom Mortgage showing that XXXX payment was never received. So i called them back XXXX to try and figure out what is going on and they tell me XXXX is paid. so I requested a supervisor to talk to and I was on hold for XXXX mins and someone answers the phone and hangs it up on me. I can't get a straight answer from anyone there! Meanwhile I am being charged {$45.00} late charges twice a month and they are putting late/missed payments on my credit.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WI
Zip: 535XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-30
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbe
Consumer Complaint: I have contacted Freedom Mortage several times in an attempt for a repayment plan from a Covid forbearance, when I lost my job due to the closures. They offered this forbearance plan so easily with only a few clicks and no real application. I since have started work again and have more than enough to do a repayment plan for 6 or 12 months, which they say the offer. I have applied several times and they never call back and just keep sending new packets. When I ask for a call back from a manager they say the notes said they did call me back. I have no missed calls from them and no messages on my online account or on my phone. It seems like they are purposely not trying to work with me because I can afford to pay it back. The application is ridiculously long and difficult and they keep saying to do it all again. I even had a manger tell me I was approved and then never would call me back and no one can find that anywhere now. They only want to talk about foreclosure options or refinancing with them. They also blame the VA and their rules that are the issue. When I called the VA representative he stated that is not true that they do not even have a time frame for a repayment plan that according to their loan rules I could take as long as I needed as long as once I started the repayment plan it was forward progress. That there would not be a reason for refinancing unless I defaulted, after the agreed on repayment plan. I am at a loss and do not know what to do I am a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX veteran and dont want to lose my house or my 2.25 % APR. Please help!
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 32926
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-30
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-29
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account information incorrect
Consumer Complaint: My XXXX XXXX home loan was transitioned to Freedom Mortgage in XXXX XXXX Freedom Mortgage reported delinquent mortgage payments from XXXX XXXX XXXX due to a payment being rejected from XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX When I spoke to XXXX XXXX, they confirmed that there were no payments rejected. There were no communications from either servicer stating that the account was ever past due between XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX There were no phone calls ever made to notify that the account was behind in payments. This is a violation of FCRA and UDAAP Regulation as I the consumer was never informed of any arrears verbally or in writing to be allowed the opportunity to be resolved prior to being reported to the credit reporting agencies between XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. This has caused me detriment and is preventing me from being financed for a new home loan.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NV
Zip: 89139
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A