Date Received: 2023-10-27
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: An existing modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or other loss mitigation reli
Consumer Complaint: I fell behind in my FHA mortgage on or around XXXX of XXXX due to an injury that kept me out of work temporarily. I am planning to return to work shortly but in the interim, I requested a forbearance from my mortgage company, Freedom Mortgage. During the summer of XXXX, I requested to be reviewed for a forbearance. I filled out a loss mitigation packet and my housing counselor submitted it to Freedom Mortgage. On XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX, I was informed that I would not be reviewed for any loss mitigation, including a forbearance, due to a gas lien on the property in the amount of {$750.00}. I was not aware of the gas lien and am taking steps to resolve the lien. However, such a lien should not have been an obstacle to my being reviewed for a forbearance.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: PA
Zip: 19131
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-27
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-27
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
Consumer Complaint: We were told that once we reached a certain amount of equity, we could remove our PMI, and now we're being told that we can not remove it for a few more years. Our house is being appraised at over XXXX and we owe about XXXX. But are paying XXXX a month in PMI. I'd like it unfair. You spent a lot of money and put so much work in this house so we can increase the value and we're not benefiting from it.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MA
Zip: 027XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-27
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-25
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing yo
Consumer Complaint: VA Assumed Mortgage We assumed the mortgage XX/XX/XXXX and had no issues with our online access, managing our information, or making payments. XX/XX/XXXX Freedom Mortgage took away our online account access telling us they can not properly secure our information online due to our loan be an assumption. We need online access to verify our account information. During our time with Freedom Mortgage, they have mailed our private information to the previous home owners without our consent. This included all of our financial information, XXXX 's, XXXX 's, back account information, everything we used to apply for the loan assumption. They have accused us being negative {$12000.00} in our escrow when it was current. Our home owners insurance information has been lost and they attempted to force a separate company on us at an absurd rate. We have been accused of being two months behind on our mortgage when we have been always remained ahead on our payments. Most bothersome, is they reported inaccurate information to the credit bureaus. All of these issues, except for the online access has been corrected, however, it took getting the State of Texas involved to do so. As of today, they have no answer for the online access being restored for our account. We need this access to allow us to keep up with our mortgage information. With some many errors in the past it is needed to catch an error before they really do financial harm that can not be correct.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 793XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-25
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage bought out my previous mortgage company as of XX/XX/XXXX. Prior to the buyout, my monthly payment was {$820.00} inclusive of mortgage, taxes, insurance, and FHA Mortgage XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I canceled my previous XXXX XXXX as I was able to bundle XXXX with XXXX for much cheaper. From day one, they were charging me the wrong fee for my insurance payment. My new payment is now {$880.00} which I have questioned as my taxes and Insurance have decreased and as such, my new payment should have reflected the revised Insurance and taxes. Over the course of a year, I have received numerous statements with different analyses of my escrow, all of which all incorrect. My mortgage statement dated XX/XX/XXXX states once again that I have a shortage in my escrow in the amount of {$1600.00} and therefore, my payment increased to {$980.00} which will be spread out over the course of a year. I have several statements which I can forward upon your request. I have a fixed rate of 2.5 % FHA Loan and last year I was informed by a rep that I could pay my taxes, and XXXX XXXX separately all the while explaining I am not eligible due to the type of mortgage I have. I was also informed once I reach 80 % loan to value, I could drop the PMI again explaining that insurance remains for the duration of the loan. My monthly payment is {$880.00} of which {$520.00} is the monthly principal and interest payment and the remainder of {$350.00} is to pay XXXX, taxes, and PMI. The math doesn't add up as {$350.00} x XXXX is {$4200.00} of which is to pay yearly taxes of {$1200.00}, XXXX {$1500.00}, and FHA Mortgage XXXX {$1000.00} which totals {$3800.00}. There are numerous complaints against this company and I am asking for my escrow to please be reviewed and resolved as I can not continue to spend countless hours on the phone to get this matter resolved. I have lost countless hours of sleep and it consumes my everyday tasks, especially my job.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NC
Zip: 28405
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-25
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: I have never opted for an escrow account and Freedom Mortgage has now added it without my permission. I have called them numerous times without a response.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 60634
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-24
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage has refused to remove Private Mortgage Insurance ( PMI ) from my mortgage and continuously provided inaccurate, missing, contradictory, or outright deceptive information on how to request PMI cancellation dating back to XX/XX/XXXX. This includes, in at least two cases, changing the information provided to meeither on its customer dashboard or sending a different version of documentsas a result of my pointing out discrepancies in their responses. As per federal regulations, as well as Freedom Mortgages own communications to me in multiple direct messages via its secure messaging system ( SEE ATTACHED MESSAGES ) and my eventual denial letter, repeated on its blog post ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ), PMI can be removed at the request of the homeowner after reaching XXXX XXXX equity if the homeowner has made significant improvements to the home, as I have done and as I have proved to Freedom via documentation. After months of Freedom ignoring my requests for information on ordering a broker price opinion ( BPO ) ( PLEASE TIMELINE SEE ATTACHED, LABELED " 1.TIMELINE ... '' ) once instructions were provided to me I followed Freedoms instructions and ordered a BPO on XX/XX/XXXX. I listed the improvements and provided documentation as requested in my BPO request form. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a valuation of {$530000.00}, which put my LTV ratio at XXXX XXXX. Major improvements are listed. SEE BPO REPORT ATTACHED the BPO ( LABELED " 2 ... '' ) However, on XX/XX/XXXX, Freedom sent me a one-page denial letter refusing to remove my PMI, indicating that I had not reached the required LTV ratio . It did not include any additional information on how it made this determination. Please see scan of this letter ( DOC 3A. ) After multiple additional attempts to contact the company by phone and its secure messaging system to understand the discrepancy, I was finally escalated to XXXX XXXX in a phone call on XX/XX/XXXX. Both she and the customer agent that I spoke to before her informed me that, despite all previous instructions and communication otherwise, I needed to reach a XXXX XXXX LTV ratio, per the " XXXX State Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Cancellation Disclosure '' that I signed ( DOC 3B ) because my loan was between 2-5 years old. However, both the XXXX State Disclosure and my denial letter also clearly states that the minimum seasoning requirements are waived if property improvements increase the home value. The attached Broker Price Opinion ( BPO ) report shows that I have made multiple significant improvements that have increased the value of my home. XXXX XXXX, the customer service agent to whom I was connected after requesting to speak to a manager on XX/XX/XXXX, also confirmed this verbally and said she had overlooked the major improvements listed on the BPO. She told me that she would follow up with the head of the PMI department for a clarification of why I was being held to the XXXX XXXX LTV rate and get back to me within a few days, but has since stopped responding to my follow-up emails ( DOC 4. ) During our call, XXXX XXXX also emailed me a copy of my denial letter ( DOC 4b, ) which was materially different from the letter that I received by mail. This time, the letter was 6 pages long and outlined requirements for PMI removal that had never previously been communicated to me, including that A current BPO must demonstrate the increase in property value as direct result of major improvements completed since loan origination. Only the portion of the increase directly attributable to major improvements will be considered. This has never been communicated to me in any instructions or in Freedom Mortgages original denial letter that it sent to me on XX/XX/XXXX. This follows a pattern of evasive and deceptive behavior dating back to XX/XX/XXXX, when I first called for information on removing my PMI. Another example of this is the change that Freedom Mortgage made to my customer dashboard in XXXX, after I pointed out that per Freedoms own estimates, I had built up significant equity in my home, which should make me eligible for PMI removal ( DOC 5A. ) For months, a section on my customer dashboard on the website, Refinance and Get Cash showed the exact equity value that Freedom had estimated that I had built into my home. As late as XX/XX/XXXX, the number was visible and read : You qualify for up to {$68000.00} cash for the equity in your home. ( DOC 5B, CUSTOMER DASHBOARD1 ATTACHED. ) Once I inquired if this equity also meant that I could now remove my PMI, the company then removed this information from my dashboard. ( SEE doc 5C CUSTOMER DASHBOARD1 ATTACHED. ) Given this pattern of behavior, I strongly believe that Freedom is purposefully making it difficult for customers to remove PMI, including in changing its PMI criteria. In addition to resolving my personal issue, I hope that CFPB and/or other relevant federal and state agencies can investigate and stop Freedom from violating homeowners rights. To support my complaint, I have attached the following documents : 1 ) Timeline of communications with Freedom Mortgage a. Select secure messages and communications with Freedom mortgage dating to XX/XX/XXXX. All messages are available upon request. 2 ) BPO report 3 ) BPO denial letters : a. Scan of 1-pg PMI removal denial letter received by mail, dated XX/XX/XXXX XXXX PDF version of denial letter sent by XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX 4 ) PDF of email communications with XXXX XXXX including attachments : a. XXXX XXXX Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Cancellation Disclosure 5 ) Customer dashboard a. XX/XX/XXXX message to Freedom Mortgage about customer dashboard and requesting information on removing PMI b. Customer dashboard 1 : XX/XX/XXXX c. Customer dashboard 2 : XX/XX/XXXX I appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to protecting consumer rights in the financial sector. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 90230
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-23
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue: An existing modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or other loss mitigation reli
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/2022 I lost my job due to COVID and was out of work of 9 months, Freedom Mortgage put us on a forbearance with the parameters of at the end we had several options, restructure the loan adding in the forbearance amount, add it on the back end of the load, make payments on the forbearance amount or repay it. When the forbearance was over they claimed they could not honor any of those options only repayment was and option for the full amount, how is this even possible when you have not worked for 9 months at no fault of your own. I have been trying to pay them money and get the loan caught up but they continue to send the money back and trying to foreclose, HELP We are begin forced to sell our home because of the pending foreclosure. We need help we feel they did this on purpose and trying for force a veteran and his family out of their home because we had a nice low mortgage rate and they didnt want to honor the promises and help us out, only threating and pressue
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 76049
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-23
Issue: Communication tactics
Subissue: Frequent or repeated calls
Consumer Complaint: I received a call from my new mortgage loan servicer regarding my payment being late. On XX/XX/XXXX I informed the representative that I only get paid once a month and I would pay my bill for both payments I'm behind on the XXXX of this month. I have been still getting calls and today a letter were placed on my property gate for the company stating they haven't been able to reach me. I have spoken with the company and told them my attention to this matter. They still harassed me afterwards.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 32305
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-23
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue: Application denials
Consumer Complaint: I am widowed. My husband held the loan and we both held the deed. The contract for the FHA loan on our house says that as his widow, living in our home I can assume the loan without having to provide financial evidence that I can afford the payments ( which I can afford. ) My husband died from XXXX in XXXX, after putting the loan into a XXXX forbearance. When that forbearance ended in XXXX, I contacted Freedom to get the payments that had been in forbearance placed into a partial claim, as permitted by the XXXX forbearance program and to move the loan to my name. Initially I was told that that wasnt a problem and that the assumption and partial claim could all be started then. I provided the documents they requested and waited for them to complete their process, which I was told would take weeks. When I received additional requests for the documents I had already provided, I provided them again and I was assured by Freedom that they were working on everything. Instead of getting the requested assumption and partial claim, I got a foreclosure notice. This happened when I was supposed to be giving them time to process everything. I am now over a year into fighting with Freedom to get the loan in my name and the partial claim established. During that time they have refused to allow me to make payments so the amount past due has grown. They have twice offered a partial claim only to rescind that offer. The first time they refused to process the notarized contract because it arrived too late. ( They had said theyd call and set up the notary and never did. I ultimately paid for it out of pocket and returned the packet. ) The second time they said Id get the packet for the partial claim they never sent it. They canceled the process without notifying me. They have listed my house auction, despite me trying to work with them and the numerous times they have failed to follow through on what they promised. I have had to resend documents numerous times because they didnt see them in their system, they asked for the wrong document, or they gave me an outdated form to complete. They ultimately told me that I had to file financial documents proving I can afford the loan ( despite the contract saying otherwise ) and are now refusing to facilitate the COVID related partial claim ( because my husband is XXXX XXXX XXXX - I was told that had he lived, the partial claim wouldnt be an issue. ) I was also told that since the loan is past due, I am not entitled to assume the loan under the terms of the contract. I provided the documentation they requested and they are now again saying I have failed to provide the requested documents ( because the SSA proof of payouts for my children doesnt explicitly say XXXX benefits. ) They again have my house actively scheduled for auction despite me actively trying to complete their ever changing loss mitigation process.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 95747
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-22
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue: Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Consumer Complaint: We contacted Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX because we had a recent escrow analysis completed with the incorrect information. The escrow analysis projected our real estate taxes for XXXX to be {$2400.00}. My wife tried to explain to both customer service and the Tax Department that for the XXXX tax year, we were only billed {$1700.00}. The amount disbursed from escrow was only {$76.00} due to a credit we had of {$1700.00} from overpaying at closing. We requested multiple times for the tax amount to be updated to {$1700.00}. We initially were told it would be updated, then they said they needed documentation from us. We don't receive our tax bills since it is paid from escrow. We explained multiple times that they could visit our county website of XXXX XXXX XXXX and easily see the amount we were billed just like we did. We were told by XXXX XXXX this issue would be resolved by XX/XX/XXXX and we still have not had any updates. My wife handles mortgage servicing for another bank and has worked in this industry for the past 14 years so this should have been a very easy process. We asked to have our XXXX taxes updated to {$1700.00}. Then, after it was updated, we wanted a stop payment placed on the escrow refund that was sent to us for {$2300.00} and the funds deposited back into the escrow account. Once the funds were deposited, we requested for a new escrow analysis to be completed effective with the XX/XX/XXXX payment. So basically void the last escrow analysis completed. It is important that the effective date of the payment be XX/XX/XXXX and the previous escrow refund be stopped and placed back into the escrow account before completing the new analysis. Our monthly payment beginning XX/XX/XXXX should be around {$3000.00} with the escrow portion of our payment being {$210.00}.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: DE
Zip: 199XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A