Consumer complaint received 2022-07-13
Company: PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC.
State: TN
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
Please see the following account of events that have led to Pennymac erroneously reporting my XXXX mortgage payment as late in XX/XX/XXXX. I was placed into a loan modification process despite never requesting that they do that. Once placed into this process, I was blocked from making payments. On XXXX I spoke to someone on the phone and requested that they remove my account from the loan modification process. This was never done and I was unable to make the payment on time, resulting in a delinquent payment on my credit report. Of note, I never filled out an application. 
My XXXX daughter was diagnosed with XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX. Due to not having childcare arrangements that could accommodate her needs for summer break from school, I had to take an extended leave of absence from my job so that I could stay home. While I had enough sick leave to cover my salary during this time, I still took a significant pay cut due to not being able to work overtime. Furthermore, I had a {$4000.00} hospital bill, along with additional expenses for diabetic supplies. I called Pennymac to simply ask if they had any options of a temporary hardship forbearance. For reference, XXXX ( My car loan lender ), offered me a 1-month forbearance automatically simply as a courtesy. I called Pennymac to ask if they offer anything similar. 


I requested information on XXXX @ XXXX pm about temporary forbearance by calling them. I was immediately transferred to COVID relief. I explained my situation ( which had nothing to do with COVID ), and I was told I could only be provided with options by providing more information to the litigation team. I was transferred to litigation and on the phone with them for over an hour. I provided all requested information, verbally, over the phone. This was information such as income, expenses, etc. They told me that Id qualify for loan modification but could not tell me specific terms. I told them I dont want to change my loan. They said Id have to fill out an application to get specific options, but that nothing would change unless I asked for it to be changed. I told them they can send me the application and that I would look at it but that I do not want to change anything. 

On XXXX - I noticed that I could not make a payment due to the status of my loan because the loan modification process has already started. This process blocked me from making payments. 

On XXXX - I received a call from Pennymac about my application that I never filled out. I told them I did not want to start a loan modification and never asked for one. I went as far as to tell them they were being predatory and that I only requested information and now feel taken advantage of. I was told they would cancel it and I would be able to make a payment. 

I have screenshots of when I attempted to make payments and was blocked from doing so on XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. As of today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I am still blocked from making a payment. Their message reads : Based on the status of your loan, access to this feature is not available. If you feel this service should be available or you would like to resolve the condition that is preventing access to this service, please contact us. Reason ( XXXX ) for one-time-payment not being available : Your loan status indicates you are in a modification process ( PSM ). 

Recorded call - XXXX XXXX I called Pennymac after seeing a delinquent payment on my credit report. I was told they would send the issue to Research and I would receive a call in 2 business days to tell me a case is opened. No timeline was provided beyond that step. I then made the payment for XXXX over the phone. It should be noted that I told Pennymac on XXXX that I can not make a payment and no alternative method was provided. 


Recorded XXXX - XXXX I get another from them asking about the situation. I explained. They said it was my responsibility to call if I couldn't make a payment. I pointed out that I spoke to someone on XXXX, where I told them I'm unable to make a payment, and all they said was that the status would be changed back and I'd be able to make a payment in a few days. Not once did she tell me she could take my payment over the phone, despite me telling her that I did not know how to pay them on time. The rep put me on hold and listened to the recording of the call on XXXX. They said the rep should have told me that I could pay on the phone and that they'd address it with the rep. I asked what they would do about my late payment and she said all they could do was apologize. I ask her to clarify what she's apologizing for. She said she's apologizing for the " miscommunication. '' I asked her to clarify who miscommunicated. She said it was the agent I spoke to on XXXX who miscommunicated. I see this as an admission that a Pennymac representative failed to give me the correct information I needed in order to make the payment, which directly resulted in the late payment, but this is also beside the fact that I never wanted them to change the status of my loan or start a loan modification process in the first place. They placed my account in that status completely against my consent. 


XXXX- received a letter in the mail dated XXXX stating because you did not submit a mortgage assistance package, PennyMac is unable to evaluate you for a loan modification or other payment assistance program Of note, I never filled any application out. I never submitted anything. I never requested a modification in the first place. It took them exactly XXXX month for them to deny from when I spoke to them on XXXX and demanded that they remove it. 

Recorded XXXX - XXXX @ XXXX am, I call Pennymac back ( received a voicemail from a missed call on XXXX while I was working ). XXXX ( Whom I spoke with XXXX ) is not available. They offered to start a dispute, but I already did that last week. They said the notes from the last call with XXXX say that they denied my request to correct the delinquent payment. The rep 's exact words were that it Says credit report was correct and can not be corrected. The account was not covid impacted. I asked to provide reasoning and they were unable to do so. I was told I can dispute, which I've been doing this whole time. I asked to speak with someone from the credit review department and they refused to allow me to do so. How can someone from Pennymac 's dispute department conduct a thorough review/investigation into the issue without allowing me to speak to them? How is it not a conflict of interest for Pennymac to make this decision on their own, considering that they are investigating their own conduct? How can Pennymac claim that they are not responsible while simultaneously saying that the rep I spoke to on XXXX miscommunicated by not providing an alternative payment solution? How can Pennymac claim that they are not responsible if they feel the need to apologize for their own representative 's miscommunication and also feel the need to address the issue with that representative?

I have screenshots of attempts to make a payment and audio recordings of Pennymac 's representative telling me that the rep I spoke to on XXXX miscommunicated by not providing an alternative payment solution.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief