Date Received: 2021-03-04
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I have a 2nd mortgage with SLS, Specialized Loan Servicing. They happily granted a Forbearance to me last XXXX. Despite my numerous attempts they are unwilling to help me avoid foreclosure. I am able to resume payments and I am not asking for any financial forgiveness. I only ask that my paused payments be deferred to the end of my loan or even a Balloon Payment at the end. I continually get misinformation and different information each time I call and have been told they are working from home so no supervisor is available to speak with me. Just today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I received two seperate letters from them. One states I am granted 9 more months of Forbearance. Great except the End Date is XX/XX/XXXX. The other letter is titled Default Notice and Notice of Intent to Foreclose. This one is dated XX/XX/XXXX and gives me 33 days from " the date of this letter to cure the default. '' It arrived in the mail today. I was told I can not be approved for a Modification due to help I received on XXXX, which was unsolicited by the way. Despite that I was mailed a Modification application with a long list of required documents. I do not want a Modification or any forgiveness. I just want a deferment or the Balloon Payment. They were very positive and assured me they would work with me to find a repayment plan when I first called to request Forbearance and now I am just getting the runaround. I had no idea at the time that non Federally backed loans would not be protected under the CARES ACT and SLS certainly made no mention of it. I am so upset and can not think of anything other than possibly losing my home of 25 years. Every day I watch the news hoping President Biden will announce that non Federally backed mortgages will be given the same protections under the CARES ACT as the Federally backed loans. Please, can you help me?
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 92648
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-04
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Called to cancel my ACH payment in order to refinance my loan, SLS still took payment automatically after I had called to cancel. They said it takes time to process but if my payments are late I am the one who will get punished. They can do whatever they want and call it a processing delay and not be punished.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: DE
Zip: 19808
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-03
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: SLS lawyers told SLS not to assist me I called customer service She was shady didnt know anything wasnt trying to assist I was on hold too many thin times She said she needs to research We asked how long the application assistance take She didnt know We asked her what we need to do to stop the foreclosure she said she didnt know Then she said we need a code I asked her how do I get the code I dont have enough time she said I dont know We told her at least things need to happen asXXXX soon as possible we got slilent we had to drag the word out of her mouth They wont give any thing I upload a proofs of my apply for assistance by email and fax I promise you they wont do anything then they send letter thats after reviewing your application your not qualify
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 92656
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-03
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I am copying and pasting one of many communications I have had with SLS on the matter related to lender place flood insurance, To date and many months later, SLS is unable to resolve or comprehend the issue. I am in the process of refinancing my mortgage and had to pay the amount to SLS to be able to move forward on the refinancing. URGENT REQUEST DUE TO PENDING CLOSING OF REFINANCING TRANSACTION I am writing to request assistance in the resolution of a past due fee amount of {$5200.00} that was in error and as I learned on a phone call with SLS Customer Support relates to lender-placed flood insurance. However, as the attached statement from the lender on the primary mortgage ( XXXX XXXX ) indicate, as the borrower I already had lender-placed flood insurance through XXXX XXXX. When the matter was raised nearly five years ago by XXXX XXXX that I would be required to have flood insurance due to changes in flood plain near my primary residence, I elected to purchase the lender place insurance through XXXX Mortgage as it was the same cost when I sought a quote for private insurance. I communicated to SLS that there was not a need for lender placed flood insurance through SLS as the required lender placed flood insurance was already in place through XXXX Mortgage. I would greatly appreciate to the greatest extent possible that a timely response and letter be made available that I can provide to XXXX, as the new lender, that indicates that I do not owe this amount to SLS as an unpaid fee as the lender placed flood insurance was made in error by SLS ( or its predecessors ). I am attaching, as requested by the SLS Customer Support Agent ( XXXX ), the Escrow Statements from XXXX Mortgage that demonstrate that the lender placed flood insurance was in fact in place and therefore, there was not a need for SLS to put its own lender placed flood insurance policy in place. MAY I PLEASE REQUEST AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT EMAIL RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL SO THAT I CAN LET XXXX KNOW THE STATUS. I am unfortunately running out of time under the existing commitment letter and rate lock commitment.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MD
Zip: 21042
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-03
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Loan # XXXX Specialized Loan Servicing, LLC ( Mortgage Collection Agency ) Dear Sir, Greetings. The above mentioned company violated our rights multiple times via their persistent negligence, intentional deceit and unfair business practices ; via the following : 1. Unauthorized disclosures of private information to a third party, with a totally different and wrong address. 2. Failed and continued to fail in issuing and providing updated " Monthly Statement '' of Account for our Mortgage Loan. 3. Failed and continued to fail in issuing the required and mandated " Tax Documents '' for 2020 ; reporting the interest paid on the loan, even after multiple communications via mail, and phone calls.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 91784
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-03
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Current Background to the story : XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX Specialized Loan Servicing, SLS, mortgage forbearance. XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX Attempts to connect with SLS via phone XX/XX/XXXX automated phone application with waiting approval. XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX request for additional three month forbearance. XX/XX/XXXX additional forbearance was approved. XX/XX/XXXX Confirmed via customer service rep ; forbearance approved. continued calls from SLS customer service regarding forbearance ending XX/XX/XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX received call from SLS rep with inquiry about mortgage fitness. Rep denied existence of forbearance, questioned my veracity ability to resume mortgage payments. Rep directly violated my human rights with personal questions and accusations of falsehoods. Proclaimed me a liar, versus a customer in need of help. Rep yelled over me to make her point. Afterwards called back immediately to make a complaint ; referred to supervisor. Never received a call back from a supervisor or anyone else regarding my loan. Or this incident of poor customer service. XXXX XXXX, received notice of mortgage assistance or modification denial. My home was approved for short sale on the basis, I failed to meet modification contract and had late payments for the previous year, XXXX. THIS IS NOT TRUE. SLS has violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act of XXXX by failing to credit partial payments that where put in a suspense account to my monthly mortgage on a regular basis. Instead of my account being credited as soon as a suspense account had a full payment, they took payments that were specifically directed to the mortgage, and applied them to principal. Then they insisted I was late on payments and subsequently in breach of the modification contract. SLS owes me at least two months or more of mortgage payments that were incorrectly applied through suspense accounts to the principal of my loan, as opposed to the monthly mortgage payments. Although specifically requested every payment be applied to the monthly mortgage, from XX/XX/XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX, SLS consistently violated the law, by putting payments is suspense accounts and when I wrote the servicer to dispute the claim, they insisted these payments were made properly. They insisted it was my fault that the payments were misapplied, although I literally did everything I could to correct the mistakes. As you can see from the documents submitted that SLS constantly switched my account representatives, failing to give me a single point of contact who could consistently help me with my account, subsequently leading to extreme mismanagement of my account and the correct information I received. In fact, the knowledge base of each customer service rep is so variable that unless you are fortunate to get a good rep, your mortgage literally will not get properly serviced. SLS has very little invested in making sure reps are up to date with services. My bank statements indicate regular monthly payment transfers to SLS, in increasing amounts from XXXX, XXXX until XXXX, XXXX. As you can see from my bank statements, I tried to make an arrangement for a bimonthly payment plan. Indeed, payments of {$2200.00} were made for two consecutive months, in order to enter a bimonthly payment agreement. My intention was to help amortize the loan and reduce the stress of falling behind by getting ahead with paying smaller amounts twice a month. I was told the plan was set up, but in fact, payments were put into a suspense account and then held for some time. These payments where then applied to principle, effectively setting me behind instead of in advance. In spite of repeated attempts to have suspense payments applied properly, I got nothing but a run around for more than a year, and finally culminating into my complaint today as SLS contends that I am in breach of contract on my mortgage and is trying to force a shirt sale of my house. Indeed I did send a written dispute, however I was not ever given a response and further inquiry did not reveal the mismanagement of suspense account funds. In the table below, I have documented my consecutive electronic payments and automatic withdrawals from SLS. As you can see, I did not miss a payment from XXXX, XXXX and the start of my XXXX loan modification until XXXX, XXXX and the start of the pandemic. Indeed, there is the evidence here that not only did I not miss any of the steadily increasing monthly mortgage payments but was debited for three payments in XXXX, XXXX, yet SLS improperly misapplied the funds by first putting them into a suspense account, where reps consistently denied the funds existed, then applied these finds to principal instead of towards the mortgage payment. The customer service is so terrible, and as I have been consistently without a single point of contact, that at one point when I spoke to a rep, I was told not to make a payment because I was ahead of payments that needed to be applied. This rep said that if I submitted another payment on time that it would not get applied to my monthly mortgage after the extra XX/XX/XXXX, payments. I followed his advice and in the next call was told I was delinquent and so could not have a bimonthly plan and this is reflected in the cancellation of my ACH in XX/XX/XXXX. Indeed, I finally got the correct ACH bimonthly payment plan in XX/XX/XXXX, after months of trouble with my payments being misapplied while they steadily increased my monthly mortgage based on escrow shortfalls. This brings us up to today where SLS has denied any loan modification and lump sum payments being put into my loan. They have denied this modification and indeed as they currently sit on a half month payment, they refuse to release the payment unless I pay a full mortgage payment this month. As we are still currently in a pandemic, I can not force SLS or my investor to do the right thing by helping me stay in my home, however I am indeed shocked and disgusted that during all my years of being a single, XXXX woman homeowner, every effort has been made to displace me from my home and this particular location, just XXXX minutes from the home of XXXX XXXX. It is my observation that from the moment I started the process of homeownership, I was treated with deference exactly because I am XXXX. From the XXXX, who did not properly handle my closing and final walk through, after my taking ownership, essentially leaving me with tons of junk and garbage from the previous owner instead of making sure it was removed from the property To XXXX home loans, who redlined my original mortgage, as well as giving me a terrible adjustable rate and subsequent refinance, again by XXXX, where I was forced into a 9 % rate! When I lost my XXXX in XXXX and my ability to XXXX and continue to work as a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and my XXXX ran out, I asked XXXX XXXX XXXX for help making my home affordable due to my XXXX. I was told they would not help until I was behind in payments and then when I got behind in payments they pretended like they were going to help, but then at the same time sold my loan to SLS who immediately tried to foreclose. This can be seen in the documents fro SLS. The earliest notification I received was not a mortgage assistance application, but a XXXX valuation on XXXX/XXXX. This was in spite of the fact that XXXX XXXX XXXX had sent me a Request for mortgage modification form and when I completed and tried to return it XXXX XXXX XXXX notified me that no longer held my loan. So although, I was asking for mortgage modification, in XXXX of XXXX, after I knew I was facing a massive life change with my new found XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, I was being dual tracked into foreclosure. Yet all the while I was under the impression and indeed told by XXXX, that I would be getting the help I need to make my home affordable with my new normal as a XXXX, XXXX XXXX and Veteran. I contend that as early as, XX/XX/XXXX, when XXXX took over and then sold my loan, there wasnt even the slightest intention to help me, but every intention was there to foreclose on my property and reap the benefits of the location. XXXX sold my mortgage to SLS who came onto the scene and said they were servicing XXXX XXXX XXXX loans and would now help me. Yet as you can see from the documents with the earliest notification dated XX/XX/XXXX, I never received any help from SLS from the beginning, and they actually prepared and attempted to foreclose my house all the while I was asking for help and loan modification. So while I was struggling to put food on the table, while I was struggling to XXXX and recover my health, instead of giving me one person who could actually speak to me about my loan and the process of modification, I got a company whose sole intent and purpose was to foreclose on my loan and make money off my property which I worked so hard to afford for my children. Essentially forcing the ONLY XXXX person out of the neighborhood. Indeed, the fact that I had to apply for mortgage modifications XXXX times is pretty clear evidence that SLS has been dual tracking me since the moment they assumed my loan and this continues to this very moment, as they are now trying to short sale my home the moment forbearance is done. This week, XX/XX/XXXX, I was told the investor did not have to comply with Federal rules ; FHA mortgages because my mortgage was not Federally backed, although my original mortgage included FHA financing for house purchase XXXX, XXXX. However, XXXX sold and repackaged my mortgage and resold it, multiple times. Since, XXXX settled class action lawsuit for redlining mortgages of XXXX people, I got part of the settlement, clearly indicating my mortgage already has a history of racism and discriminatory practices against me. XXXX and XXXX are well aware I am a single, XXXX woman and have taken advantage with unfair practices. When XXXX was disbanded, XXXX XXXX XXXX took my loan and sold it to XXXX. In spite of asking for loan modification from XXXX, when I experienced XXXX XXXX, resulting in sudden XXXX XXXX XXXX resulting from the onset of XXXX XXXX, they dual tracked me to foreclosure. Instead of helping me, they refused to speak with me about options until I was several months behind, then they sold me to XXXX. In fact, in all the many months and now years of dealing with SLS, I now recognize they have NEVER actually given me ANY information on handling disputes or dispute resolution. In fact, over the course of years, each time I had a dispute and asked for the address and information for resolution, they have failed to actually give me the proper information. Or even direct me to the information on the website. After years of mishandling my account, in order to force me into foreclosure, I now realize, the process of dispute resolution is basically a process of giving customers constant misinformation to misdirect, distract and stonewall without actually pointing customers in the right direction. After restating my story, once again about requesting and being approved for extension on forbearance, the rep again confirmed I was approved for more forbearance and would be receiving a confirmation statement in the mail. Indeed, my current investor has demanded I short sale effectively making me homeless in a pandemic which has already killed XXXX. I am refusing this decision and contend this action is further evidence that SLS assumed my mortgage for the sole intent and purpose of forcing me out of my property to enrich investors. Dual tracking me to foreclosure while pretending to help keep me in my home. I also contend that as a XXXX single mother, Veteran and XXXX, that SLS and XXXX has purposely targeted my property because I am actually the ONLY XXXX person in the neighborhood. After living in my property since XXXX and maintaining on time mortgage payments for more than XXXX years, after I became ill with sudden XXXX XXXX XXXX and subsequent XXXX XXXX, the lender at that time XXXX XXXX XXXX refused to work with me prior to my mortgage coming into arrears. Then after, my mortgage became delinquent, the loan was passed to SLS for servicing, which I have discovered is actually not servicing the consumer, but a company actually built on the sole intent and purposes of forcing people like me into foreclosure so they can take our hard earned properties. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau mortgage servicers must deploy a fair review process that considers all foreclosure alternatives available from either the investors or mortgage owners. As well SLS is no longer allowed to steer borrowers to options that are most financially favorable to the servicing shop. I say they are in violation of this practice as well. As you can see in the documents I have provided, from the very moment SLS assumed my loan, they were intent on foreclosing as opposed to helping me make my home affordable. I have included bank statements and statements from SLS supporting my claims. CC : XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NE
Zip: 681XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-02
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: We applied for the CARES Act mortgage forbearance program from Specialized Loan Servicing SLS who manage our mortgage that is held by XXXX XXXX Specialized Loan Servicing SLS only allowed 90 day increments after a 2 week 'decision and approval process ' with no clear extension process. Specialized Loan Servicing SLS then scared us regularly with letters stating that we were delinquent and needed to make arrangements to forestall disaster. When we called we were told they just send out those letters automatically and the letters don't apply to people on the forbearance program. Extensions have been understandably somewhat awkward then recently there was what I assume was a miscommunication. We probably missed a letter prompting us to discuss whether we wished to continue in the forbearance or pursue options after, and even though the previous extension involved letters and phone calls, some by me, only to be told they weren't ready to discuss extensions, some by them. This time they appear to have decided not to call us and just assume we would exit and sent us a payment deferral option. That would have been an understandable method of proceeding if, when we called to tell them that we were not yet ready to exit the forbearance program, they had said " okay we will talk deferral options when you are ready ''. Instead they have pressured and intimidated us as they repeatedly denied our extension of their shortened 90 day forbearance cycle. We have used 8 months of the 12 or now 15 available. They have decided that they have their own rules for the CARES program which as defined had very few and explicit rules if a the borrower of a mortgage held by XXXX XXXX attests to covid related financial hardship, wishes to use the forbearance option, and have not yet used the originally 12 now 15 months of forbearance the loan servicer sets it up in increments of up to 180 days, but under whatever those counter-to-the-law rules Specialized Loan Servicing SLS is using, we have been denied access the forbearance program and they have sent us an array of disturbing and confusing letters, ending with a massive application for options to avoid foreclosure. It seems beyond belief to think that they would do this to just us. Are we wrong to think the forbearance program wasn't supposed to be this traumatic? The uncertainty of when to discuss extension, the inconsistency in communication modes, the menacing letters you can only find out aren't relevant to you by calling in ( if so why send them? ), the pretense that SLS needs two take 2 weeks to make a 'decision ' on a program in which they do not get to make decisions, the requirement to do it in 90 day increments instead of the 180 days, forcing this process to be gone thru twice as often. I can not understand what profit Specialized Loan Servicing gets from doing this? Why can't they just follow the law in a helpful and supportive way.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MA
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-03
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: SLS put cfpb and I in work They send letter that they are research in Its a big lai They never done anything Research what???????? This is just to kill time so on XX/XX/21 sell my home Today I found out SLS Attorney told SLS to not to respond to this account Thats why the phone rep was very sleepy dont know anything What ever we asked her her answer was I dont know let me research just killing times Thus persona is suppose to be helping me with my mortgages problem XXXX
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 92656
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-02
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: SLS refuse to help They just want my home Today I was on the phone with SLS for 2 hour SLS customer service was sleepy didnt know anything about SLS Keep putting us on hold to he research Didnt know about loan processing we had to drag the word out of her mouth Its a shame I am a military parent Have a XXXX husband And there is no help And government allow this crocks thief to continue ripoff people Fraudulently take peoples hom They refuse to stop the XX/XX/21 Forecllousuer Refuse to do anything Just send me off goose chase So XXXX XXXX sell my home SLS allorney put a note on my account not to help
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 92656
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-03-02
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Today XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX Am I was on the phone with a hud rep and XXXX customer service she didnt know anything un willing what ever the hud asked about mortgage kelp she didnt know she kept put us on hold to go research These are the kind of people work at XXXX and handle their customer The hud reps told her 6 times that we have a sale date on XX/XX/XXXX and we dont have much time She wouldnt even respond we had to drag the word out of her mouth XXXX is a crock They refuse to help The just want to take my home Customer rep said even if I pay and bring the account current They will still foreclosure my home regardless I wanted to dump these crocks I was in a middle of finance With what they done to me they forced me to stick with them Shame on government For allowing these thiefs to operate and still cheat and take peoples home fraudulently I am a military parents my son is in the XXXX XXXX My husband is a disable And there is no help On XXXX XXXX Thief SLS will set to foreclose my home And I will be living in the street
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 92656
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-03-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A