Date Received: 2020-04-17
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: On or about XX/XX/2020, Freedom Mortgage made a payment to our county tax office for property taxes for {$3000.00}. The amount they should have paid is {$720.00}. This amount is approximately 2 1/2 years of property taxes, and as a consequence, this action, our escrow account is way overdrawn. Also, I am due a refund for the escrow account overage in the amount of {$2800.00}. This has not been refunded to me as well. As a consequence, Freedom Mortgage has caused me to sustain a loss of {$5100.00}. Phone calls to their customer service office yield no results.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WA
Zip: 982XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-17
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: For COVID-19, I am financially impacted for paying my mortgage with Freedom Mortgage. I filled out COVID hardship information on their website and I waited a week to finally receive a letter that my hardship application is being reviewed. There is also information in the letter about them foreclosing my house even though I haven't missed a single payment! No information is stated about approval of a forbearance on the XXXX XXXX loan. So I feel like they are totally not following XXXX XXXX direction regarding COVID forebarence, not confirming approval of a forbearance and are instead implying a threat to start foreclosure process on me for filling out the COVID forbearance application. Extremely dishonest bank and are really harming me and people during this crazy time.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: OR
Zip: 97062
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-16
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: My wife and I purchased our first home with an FHA loan about a year ago. We are both named on the title, but all financing was done in my name, with my credit score. I was the sole applicant for the mortgage. My wife is in the process of US XXXX, and has documents to verify this. We file our taxes jointly, and she has an XXXX. Our mortgage is about $ XXXX. It was sold to a lender, named FREEDOM MORTGAGE, soon after we got the house. Toward the end of 2019, I started looking for a refi, because interest rates dropped, and the equity and my credit score are both good. Freedom mortgage contacted me, offering a Streamline FHA loan at a 1 % interest reduction. I made it clear that my wife was on the title, but she would not be included in the loan application. They assured me it was not an issue, and there would be very little documentation, no income verification and no title changes. It was a streamline loan. Everybody was happy. The new loan was approved in XXXX, and we were ready to sign just before XXXX. On XX/XX/2019, a notary came to our house, with the documents. He checked my id, and saw everything was in order. Then, he examined my wife 's id, and told us it was not acceptable. She presented the same documents used at the original signing, about ten months earlier. I told him the XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) were both valid. He had no reason to think otherwise. Her signature is embedded in both documents. I also had a copy of our marriage certificate. The gentleman told us, he would not accept the docs because they were not issued by a US federal, or state authority. I insisted that Freedom Mortgage had agreed to service a valid FHA loan. The previous tile company had validated her id when title was created. They were bound by what they agreed to service. I was not late on my payments, and everything was already approved. The notary left with unsigned loan documents. Immediately, I began contacting the lender 's representatives to fix the problem. No workable solution has been offered by the lender. If I take my wife of the title, it becomes a full docs refi. Then, we would have to re-instate her with further approval complications. After countless phone conversations, up to the lender 's legal department, I asked for a thorough, written explanation of their decision. In response, we received a brief form letter with a box checked, and the words, " Unable to verify/validation applicant 's identification. '' The content of the form letter referred my credit information at various reporting agencies, and the " FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT. '' Nothing could have been more off base. The last minute denial had nothing to do with my credit or identity. They have not even given the correct reason for their rejection. Two other factors are frustrating : 1. I have lost wages due to the Coronavirus situation, and, 2. I have not been able to find another lender that will wade into the situation. I called the original title company and explained the situation. The lady told me, " You need to get a lender that has a brain! '' But I haven't been able to get out from under this ridiculous set of circumstances. Are notaries the new decision makers for my largest earthly investment? Wouldn't it be great if consumers had a choice about who can buy their mortgage? They can dump me, if I get behind in my payments. But I can't get rid of them, when they screw up big time. The value of a 1 % interest rate reduction, for 350 months. is {$35000.00} without compounding. It's at competitive rate, and it's what they approved. It's also what they want me to pay, for the uncomfortable privilege of being one of their " valued customers. ''
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 93657
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-15
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: On or about XX/XX/2020, I was approved and received documents for a loan modification with Freedom Mortgage. These papers were signed and returned to Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/2020. The loan is now current and the next payment is due on XX/XX/2020. On XX/XX/2020, I requested an escrow analysis for my account. The mortgage company had a property tax payment amount of {$6100.00}. The correct amount was {$1400.00}, a difference of {$4600.00}. This difference should have resulted in a refund due back to me in the amount of {$2800.00}. Freedom Mortgage provided me with a statement agreeing to this. In that statement, Freedom Mortgage indicates that according to Federal Law, any excess over {$50.00} must be refunded back to me. On At the time the money was applied to the principal of the loan, the loan was current. On XX/XX/2020, I requested the amount be refunded back to me in the form of a check. The representative put in a request to have that done. On or about XX/XX/2020, instead of refunding this balance back to me, they applied the balance to my loan in the form of a principal reduction payment. I did not agree to this. Freedom Mortgage needs to refund this money back to me.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WA
Zip: 982XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-15
Issue: Problem when making payments
Subissue: Problem during payment process
Consumer Complaint: I was shocked when I reviewed my credit report and found 30 days late payment on the dates XX/XX/2020. I am not sure how this happened, I believe that I had made my payments to you when I received my statements. My only thought is that my monthly statement did not get to me.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 33033
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-15
Issue: Closing on a mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Refinanced my home on XXXX XX/XX/2020 at XXXX. Upon closing it was agreed by XXXX that I did not have to pay until XXXX XXXX. I have an written email from him stating so. At closing, on my paperworks, it was stated that my first payment was XXXX XX/XX/2020. Then on XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX did not remove my automatic payment schedule. Taking {$1100.00} from my accoutn. After look at my bank statement, I quickly claeed freedom numerous of times to ask for a reversal. They have given me a run around since XXXX XXXX after I gave them proof with Bank Statement showing the payment cleared. I called again on XX/XX/XXXX and representative asked for my routing and accoutn number to have the payment reversed but it its been days since then. If any monies are taken from account illegally, I will go to court with this. As of XXXX XXXX, I still havent seen my payment but the company decided to place the payment from my old closed accoutn to my new account. Then contineu to charge me proprety taxes after I had given them VA and Tax Collector paperwork showing me as XXXX XXXX XXXX and tax exempt. I sent this in XX/XX/2020. Finally instead of sending my escrow refund back to me, they decided to move MY money to another account. From my closed account where it sat suspended to my new account. After i informed them of the draft and sent paperworks ( bankstatement showing cleared ). I called again on XX/XX/XXXX and still no assistance.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MS
Zip: 386XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-14
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic I have a decrease in my income, because of reduction in the work hours. I called several times ( 2 or 3 ) in these days my mortgage provider, FREEDOM MORTGAGE, to arrange a forbearance, according to the new CARES Act. They told me to fill in their Covid-19 Financial Hardship Notification form. Surprisingly I saw before I sent that form, that the only option they had for a forbearance request is the pay everytrhing back at once option at the next month ending the forbearance plan. I told them that there were three different forbearance options on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau web page. On the CFPB page under the title What is mortgage forbearance? and then under the title Here are some forbearance examples to guide you, are three different forbearance options. I told Freedom Mortgage, I requested the Paused Payment Option-Paid back at End of Mortgage. That is to pause payments up to one year and pay that amount at the end of the mortgage loan. They answered me, that they only have or work with one option, that is the one payment back in full at the end of the forbearance. That is no help at all and that is what I tried to explain them. I respectfully request that FREEDOM MORTGAGE, take in account the Covid-19 hardship that I am in this moment and start to offer all of the forbearance options that are under the CFPB instruction pages. This is also a matter of the CARES Act.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 33076
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-14
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage IS NOT COMPLIANT WITH CARES ACT, I called and spoke to representative to get Forbearance for 180 day under COVID -19 CARES act, they stated that someone will call me to discuss situation and to send form for COVID -19 financial hardship Notification. I did that right away. I also asked if this will reflect my credit, the answer was we are still smoothing things out, someone will call you back. I received the letter on XX/XX/20 stating that they are only approving me for Forbearance for 90 days and they are reporting this to a credit report company. I found out that my mortgage is under XXXX XXXX. No one called me back to discuss any options at all and about repayment plan. I understand that under COVID-19 CARES act that my credit will not be effected and I need 180 days of Forbearance and might need additional 180 days. What can I do, please help and advise.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MD
Zip: 210XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-14
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: In XXXX of XXXX, my husband and I purchased a newly constructed home XXXX XXXX in the XXXX XXXX area of XXXX California. Our mortgage payment at the time of purchase, with the principle, interest and estimated taxes was XXXX. We have a VA loan of 30 year fixed. On or around XX/XX/XXXX, my husband and I refinanced our home with our current mortgage company, to an interest rate of 3.25 % ( previously at 4.875 % ). The new payment was sent to us at XXXX, of which we have been paying on time, every month since XXXX of XXXX. I received a statement that our escrow account was at a shortage and we would now be required to pay XXXX for 12 months, until the shortage is made up and then the payment would be XXXX moving forward. I called them and they explained the refinance dept used the taxes from when there was no property built on the land and now it has been reassessed. My problem is they made a huge error because our loan was sold to them, and the estimated taxes we were paying in that previous payment were correct, and the loan officer who re-financed us either was not paying attention or because he wanted us to refi with this current lender, provided the wrong information and included it in our loan. Also, my husband was told by one of the representatives at the current mortgage, that our taxes had been raised and that was the reason for the increase. I called the county assessors office and was told our taxes had only increased by XXXX dollars and that the mortgage company had made the error and was not willing to admit it. My husband and I XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and in the current Covid 19 disaster, we are not getting the loads we once were getting and this almost XXXX dollar increase is going to be a hardship we may not be able to recover from and are in danger of losing our home. What are we suppose to do now. The mortgage company made the mistake not us, yet they want us to pay for it or lose our home.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 95758
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-04-14
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I have been trying to get PMI insurance removed form my mortgage company XXXX Freedom Mortgage XXXX since XXXX XXXX, XXXX! Today is XX/XX/XXXX. According to Freedom Mortgage, you must email their general mailbox at XXXX. ( I have all the emails and messages I send to them, using their own website ) This mailbox and process is worthless. Calling them is a waste of time as you can not get anyone on the phone. When you do wait over an hour for someone to pick up, they can't help you. This is beyond ridiculous. I was even trying to get them to refinance my loan, which they haven't contacted me about that either. My home is appraised at $ XXXX. I owe $ XXXX. Someone. Please help me. I don't know what to do. XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 75078
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-04-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A