Date Received: 2017-07-14
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: My wife and i purchased a home that was originated through a local lender. We closed on said loan XXXX XXXX XXXX. Upon closing, we were advised to provide our 1st payment ( due XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to the originating lender. On XXXX XXXX, we provided the first payment to the lender, whereas by letter dated XXXX XXXX XXXX, we were advised the loan had been transferred to Freedom Mortgage ( " Freedom '' ). On XXXX XXXX XXXX, i received a call from Freedom that our payment was past due. I explained to the collector that the payment was made to the originating lender. I then called the originating lender who informed me the payment was not cashed by them yet sent directly to Freedom. I checked my bank records and the payment was negotiated with an endorsement to Freedom on XXXX XXXX. I called Freedom and notified them of same along with providing evidence the payment was negotiated by them. The Collector adamantly stated the payment was not made to Freedom. Once again, i informed the collector " ... your firm cashed the check and you have evidence of same ... '' The collector stated further research is needed. I asked if you have not applied my funds to the account, where did they go? No response, other than, they need to check. While on vacation last week ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ), i received another call from Freedom seeking to collect funds already provided to them. I advised them to not call me anymore and find my payment. During same call, we made the XXXX payment over the phone.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: VA
Zip: 23139
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-07-12
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: The escrow analysis completed on XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX, is grossly inaccurate. Please consider this letter as a formal written complaint under RESPA. I have contacted Freedom Mortgage a number of times over the phone to attempt to resolve this matter informally to no avail.
The analysis mistakenly estimates that the property taxes on the property located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, IL ( PIN : XXXX ) will amount to more than {$8000.00} for the year XX/XX/XXXX and going forward. This is very clearly incorrect. The first installment of the XX/XX/XXXX taxes, which was paid out of this escrow account, amounted to {$2300.00}. The taxing body, XXXX County, estimates the first installment tax bill as 55 % of the total amount for the prior year. Based on simple arithmetic, the total tax amount for XX/XX/XXXX ( the last full year available ) was accordingly approximately {$4200.00}. This is approximately half of the estimate included in the escrow analysis. Put another way, Freedom Mortgage is estimating an increase of more than 100 % to property taxes within a one-year period. This is obviously incorrect. A look at properties on the same block as the subject property with similar assessed values offers further evidence that the escrow analysis drastically overestimates the taxes due on XXXX XXXX XXXX for XX/XX/XXXX and going forward. XXXX XXXX XXXX ( PIN : XXXX ), the neighboring house, has an assessed value of {$21000.00} and includes a homeowner 's exemption ; XXXX XXXX XXXX is assessed at {$22000.00}. XXXX XXXX XXXX 's taxes were as follows : {$2800.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; {$2800.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; {$2900.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; and {$3400.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; the first installment for XX/XX/XXXX was {$1900.00}. XXXX XXXX XXXX ( PIN : XXXX ), another similar property on the same block as the subject property, has an assessed value of {$20000.00}, but without a homeowner 's exemption as the subject property currently has. XXXX XXXX XXXX 's taxes were as follows : {$3100.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; {$3200.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; {$3200.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX) ; and {$3600.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX) ; the first installment for XX/XX/XXXX was {$2000.00}. Accordingly, an estimate of more than {$8000.00} for XXXX XXXX XXXX is almost comically overestimated. On XX/XX/XXXX, the escrow balance on the loan account is {$3900.00} - which is after the first installment of the XX/XX/XXXX taxes has already been paid. Based on a conservative estimate with higher than average taxes, the total amount of payments from the escrow account would not be more than {$5300.00}. That 's only about {$1400.00} more than is currently in the account only four months into the year. Even accounting for the cushion allowable under RESPA, the required escrow payments as listed in the escrow analysis are extremely inflated in violation of RESPA. Again, based current e of the taxes due for XX/XX/XXXX, the appropriate monthly escrow payment would be in the neighborhood of {$440.00}. Please correct these discrepancies immediately and refund any overage due.Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 60609
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-07-11
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage continues to send me spam mail and continues to call leaving spam voicemails despite complaints to the FCC and company itself. I 'm on the do not call list and have previously notified the company not to call, they continue to break the law.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 605XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-07-11
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Have not received a monthly statement in the mail since XX/XX/XXXX. Talked with customer service on XX/XX/XXXX was told to send a e-mail to them requesting statements sent on a monthly bases. This I did. Called them again today XX/XX/XXXX to make sure they were going to send me statements. Person I talked with told me that my e-mail request was never given to whoever handles this, she told me quote " e-mail was left on desk, not delivered " and that " they are not required to send monthly statements in the mail ". Due to the lateness my account was charged a late fee and recorded with the credit bureau. I do not have this account registered on line, need a monthly statement to keep proof of my payments.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 60142
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-07-06
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: To whom this may concern : My wife and I have finished our trial payments with Freedom Mortgage. I believe our modification is in the underwriter 's department. I have repeatedly tried to contact our single point of contact, finally today XX/XX/17 we were able to speak. My concern was we had satisfied our trial payments and what we needed to do going forward with additional payments. The single point of contact told us to continue to make monthly trial payments until Freedom Mortgage contacted us. Have n't we already satisfied that requirement. Some of your representatives told us to not make anymore payments until we heard back, we are most diffidently confused. Our main concern at this point is to have a clear understanding, preferably in writing what to do about making future mortgage payments until the modification is complete and all documents are signed, we also want to make sure that our payment history shows current on our mortgage while we are waiting for completion of our modification. Thank you for your understanding.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: OH
Zip: 44236
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-07-05
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage double dipped my bank account and took two mortgage payments when only one was authorized. They are stating the burden of proof is on me even though they 've acknowledged the error on their part in multiple recorded conversations on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: AZ
Zip: 85339
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-07-02
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Freedom Mortgage is our current mortgage holder. We recently were interested in purchasing a new home and when we contacted Freedom about preapproval for a new loan we were denied on the basis that we had multiple late payments. Certain this was simply false, we have gone back into our online bank account and provided them proof that these said and recorded late payments were indeed not paid late or delinquent. And, in months where we have made 2 mortgage payments only one has been recorded on our payment history per Freedom Mortgage. The other payment is nonexistent in their account of our payment history. They refuse to accept our bank account documents, which they requested for proof, showing that this money has indeed been removed from our account as proof and continue to refer to their records stating we are indeed delinquent. This has not only tainted our credit scores but it has cost us thousands of dollars. Our home owners and auto insurance have doubled in the 2.5 years that they have started inaccurately recording us as delinquent to credit reporting agencies. We are looking for help to get our credit history correctly reported and recoup the thousands of dollars it has cost us.
We are happy to provide you with our private bank statements if necessary to help you to appreciate our prompt and appropriate payment history. Freedom Mortgage has been provided these said documents at their request prior to our contacting you.Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MI
Zip: 48843
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-07-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-06-28
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: My request to remove my PMI ( mortgage insurance ) was wrongfully denied. The terms to remove the PMI were to have at least 20 % equity in your home. After 2 years of on time payments and the value of our house increasing we have reached over the required amount. I requested a new appraisal and had to pay {$450.00} out of my own funds for Freedom Mortgage to schedule an appraiser to come out to get the new value of my house. The appraisal came back at {$240000.00} and I owe {$190000.00} so that puts me at 21.7 % equity in my home which would terminate the PMI of $ XXXX/month that I am paying. When I submitted this to Freedom Mortgage they denied my request to remove it and also could not give me a reason why.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: AZ
Zip: 85281
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-06-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-06-24
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Although our mortgage is paid through our bank 's auto bill payer and our payment has never been late, for the last 7 months Freedom Mortgage has been misapplying our payment, charging us late fees, and reporting us as delinquent to credit agencies. As I will detail below, we have tried to resolve these issues through numerous phone calls and letters. No one has been able to solve our problem, our payments are not being tracked appropriately, and the customer service department seems unable to effectively communicate with their billing department. Furthermore, the records they provide us give inconsistent information about how they are applying our funds.
Our problems began when our mortgage payment, due by XX/XX/XXXX, was increased by {$29.00} and we were not aware. When we made our XX/XX/XXXX payment on XX/XX/XXXX in the old amount, no one notified us of the shortfall. Freedom mortgage claims they called to notify me of the shortfall, but I have no record of a call or a voicemail. Our XX/XX/XXXX payment was applied to the principal, interest, and escrow, appropriately, even though there was a shortfall. In XX/XX/XXXX, we were still not aware of the increase, so our payment was again short. Freedom mortgage took {$99.00} in a late fee from our payment ( even though we had paid 99 % of our XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX mortgage payments on time ). Freedom mortgage took the remainder of our XX/XX/XXXX payment and paid it to the principal of our loan, which made their records look like we never made a XX/XX/XXXX payment. I still received no notification of the error from Freedom Mortgage. In XX/XX/XXXX, the shortfall happened again, but I became aware of the issue when I opened a mortgage statement and saw that what they stated we owed was more than double what it should be. I called Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to a manager named XXXX ( # XXXX ). I told her I was going to correct our payment amount and send {$88.00} for the {$29.00} we were short for XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. She assured me those funds would be applied correctly and the late fees would be reimbursed, so that our account would show current. On XX/XX/XXXX {$88.00} was paid to Freedom Mortgage to bring our account current and from XX/XX/XXXX to the present time our payment has been in the correct amount. What XXXX told me would happen, did not happen. The late fees were not reimbursed and the {$88.00} was placed in unapplied funds. I called Freedom Mortgage again on XX/XX/XXXX. Our XX/XX/XXXX payment and the {$88.00} was not applied correctly until XX/XX/XXXX. At this point, the late fees were still not reimbursed. At some point in XX/XX/XXXX ( which we did not discover until XX/XX/XXXX ), Freedom Mortgage reported us as delinquent to the credit agencies. Because the late fees had not yet been reimbursed ( as promised in XX/XX/XXXX ), when we sent our XX/XX/XXXX payment, they deducted {$190.00} in late fees, making our mortgage payment short again. They then took the {$2600.00} of our payment that remained and applied it to the principal of the loan, making it seem like we did not make our XX/XX/XXXX payment. On XX/XX/XXXX I sent a written complaint about the misapplied funds and received a phone call from a supervisor named XXXX at Freedom Mortgage, that " everything had been fixed. '' I was told we would receive a written answer to our complaint, but we did not receive a written answer until my husband called Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX and they emailed him a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. The letter states that Freedom Mortgage reimbursed us for the late fees, sent a letter to the credit agencies saying the delinquent notice was in error, and fixed our problem. This letter is factually incorrect in that they had not fixed our problem. They did not thoroughly review our account because at the time of writing their letter, our records showed that in XX/XX/XXXX, Freedom Mortgage took our XX/XX/XXXX payment, deducted late fees that we were supposed to have been reimbursed for in XX/XX/XXXX and applied the balance to the principal, leaving our account showing that we did not make a payment in XX/XX/XXXX! How is it possible that in reviewing our account in XX/XX/XXXX, they did not see this error from XX/XX/XXXX? Please note that our XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX payments have been applied correctly, but our XX/XX/XXXX statement incorrectly states that in XX/XX/XXXX we owe a {$99.00} late fee and that we are a payment behind. Also concerning, is that Freedom Mortgage most likely erroneously sent another delinquency letter to the credit agencies regarding our account. We spoke to XXXX again on XX/XX/XXXX and she was completely unaware of the misapplied XX/XX/XXXXpayment stating that her records showed we were current, but had n't made our XX/XX/XXXX payment yet? We made our XX/XX/XXXX payment on XX/XX/XXXX. After hours of examining two different inconsistent payment records from Freedom Mortgage, on XX/XX/XXXX, I discovered the misapplied XX/XX/XXXX payment. My husband and I are applauded at Freedom Mortgage 's policies and their ability to not only understand, but to track how they are applying customers ' payments. In our case, I believe it has reached gross negligence levels and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should be very concerned for other mortgage holders dealing with this company. Please help us solve this problem and hold Freedom Mortgage accountable for their negligence.Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: PA
Zip: 18902
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-06-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2017-06-22
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Our property taxes were to be paid out by our mortgage company prior to XX/XX/XXXX. Freedom Mortgage mailed out the first check payable to the Sheriff 's Department, the tax bill was overdue PRIOR to the company mailing out it 's very first payment. The first payment would have been {$940.00}. The local sheriff 's department returned the check due to the fact our tax bill was late, placed in collections and Freedom Mortgage was informed at time by our local sheriff 's department of that fact. What does Freedom Mortgage do but send out at least 3 other checks to the sheriff 's department. However they mailed 2 separate checks one for the property taxes themselves and a second one for the penalties that were also now due. Both checks were returned each and every time again due it the bill being turned over to another department AND because 2 separate checks were written it was deemed 'partial payment ' which they do n't accept.
I have called Freedom Mortgage attempting to get this problem resolved on the following dates ( I have called more times than what is noted below, but when I initially began attempting to solve the issue, I did n't record those first few phone calls. ) On approx XX/XX/XXXX Called Freedom Mortgage call Center, spoke with XXXX who assured me she would take care of solving the problem, that she placed our issue marked as " escalated '', would notify her supervisor to get this taken care of, opened a ticket to help expedite our payment. Even with the escalated request XXXX stated the next check will be processed by XX/XX/XXXX. ( obviously past the XX/XX/XXXX due date ) I also gave XXXX the correct department, the new amount due with penalties accured which is now up to {$1500.00} & mailing address the check needed to be mailed to & that the payment HAD to be all in ONCE CHECK otherwise once again, the check would be returned. I also stressed that if they delay payment past XX/XX/XXXX the amount due would also be higher than the current bill. XXXX asked me to call & ask to be transferred to the call center and speak with XXXX as the check should have been pushed through by then. She then asked I call her on Monday XX/XX/XXXX and that our taxes should have had the ONE check sent out by then. On XX/XX/XXXX I once again placed a phone call to Freedom Mortgage, asked to be transferred to the call center & to be connect to XXXX. They said they have several XXXX 's there, they have no way of knowing who I spoke with on XX/XX/XXXX. So this time I get to repeat this whole problem all over again.with a rep named XXXX who 's ID # is XXXX. She pulled up our account, stated the ticket that was created on XX/XX/XXXX had been closed ( which means it 's listed as problem resolved. ). I went through the entire story again to XXXX who assures me that she will open a new ticket, expedite the request, that she will call escrow and push our request through & would make her supervisior aware as well & would place my name " ON HER DESK '' so when she " KEEPS TAB '' on our account so she will remember to check the status of our request. XXXX asked me to call back today XX/XX/XXXX as once again, the check should have been mailed out by then. I called Freedom Mortage again today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) attempted to reach XXXX, no luck. So with this phone call I got to go through the issue again with a rep named XXXX. Who, when pulling up our account did n't have ( or did n't notice ) all the phone calls & requests attached to our account. I explained the issue for what seems like a millionth time. After giving him the info he finally found the information that should have been documented several times over. After being assured that once again our account would be expedited, escrow is in the process of taken care of the payment, I asked XXXX to read me the address that should have already been documented numerous times of where the check will be mailed. Of course, he did n't have that address. Once again, I gave it to Freedom Mortgage. I then asked if it was noted the amount due HAS to be in ONE CHECK NOT TWO and it MUST be received by XX/XX/XXXX otherwise additional penalties would be added. Miraculously XXXX was able to find the most current amount due by XX/XX/XXXX as {$1500.00}. I made it very clear that this problem needs to be resolved ASAP. I also asked XXXX to highlight the CORRECT ADDRESS and PAYMENT DUE needing to be sent as ONE CHECK otherwise we will have to start this process all over again. And, I am exhausted and very frustrated & will not go into XX/XX/XXXX without this being resolved. This evening, my husband called Freedom Mortgage, spoke to a rep named XXXX who stated the same promises we 've heard each time we have called-it is noted, it has been expedited, escrow is currently working on it. My husband asked to speak with XXXX 's supervisor, XXXX stated that would not be possible. My husband requested that a message be taken & delivered to XXXX 's supervisior and for her to call him as soon as she is available. This entire ordeal has been very frustrating. The entire process has been so ridiculous. Not only do we have a lien on our property but Freedom Mortgage 's customer reps have no idea of what 's going on from one phone call to the next. There is no way you can talk to the person you spoke with in your last phone call so the customer is left repeating the exact same information each and every time they call. The customer service reps are completely useless, they have no way of pushing requests through. I am sick of getting the run around from this company. The right hand has NO idea what the left hand is doing. While in the meantime their customer ( who is a veteran of the XXXX by the way ) can do nothing but worry over the thought of possibly losing their home simply due to one their mortgage company being completely inept. Never mind how all this is effecting our credit score. We have no recourse on fixing this problem, each time we call-the phone call can last almost an hour due to have to explain everything over again. The service this company has provided thus far is atrocious. Very, very poor customer service. I am at my last resort in my attempts to get this resolved. Thank you for your time.Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: KY
Zip: 424XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2017-06-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A