Consumer complaint received 2018-12-22
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MD
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
Dating back to the end of XX/XX/2017, I had been suspended from my career without pay. I was not provided a date that I could return to work. Thus I gave my mortgage company, " Wells Fargo '' a call to let them know about my hardship. I spoke to a Ms. XXXX, and she was very friendly. She assured me that I had nothing to worry about and that Wells Fargo had several different hardships that I could apply for to assist my needs. The one that I decided to go with was a " Forbearance Agreement. '' Ms. XXXX explained the process to me, and I applied for Wells Fargo 's program. 

XXXX stated that if accepted, I would have to make a minimum payment and I can utilize the hardship for up to a year. At the end of the year, if I was still experiencing the hardship, then I can apply for additional assistance. I asked her specifically, " okay that sounds great, but what happens to the monies I don't pay in the year of the hardship? '' XXXX replied that that money would go on the back end of the mortgage and that at worst if I owed 28 years on my mortgage, it would most likely restart to 29 or 30 years. I agreed to the plan and placed my application in for my hardship assistance " Forbearance Agreement. '' On XX/XX/2017, I was accepted for the agreement and told that I would have to make minimum payments of {$25.00} a month for every month that I remained in the program. Wells Fargo stressed that I could cancel anytime that my hardship ended, to give them a call. They would then follow up with me every few months to check on my hardship to see if any conditions had changed. 

Sadly, I had to utilize the entire hardship, but after the year, and per our agreement, I handled my part. I then began paying my regular mortgage payments. I monitor my credit with XXXX XXXX, and they notified me that I had missed a payment on one of my accounts. Once I logged in, " XXXX XXXX '' informed me that I had missed my mortgage payment. Before this point and per our agreement, Wells Fargo was reporting my payments as on time and not late at all. 

I was confused because I know that I pay my mortgage via bill pay and have the confirmation that I had paid my regular mortgage payment. Thus, I called Wells Fargo for clarification as to why they had reported my payment as being late. The Wells Fargo rep stated I am sorry Mr. XXXX, you had to apply for the Forbearance Agreement now. I was frustrated and confused because this was not the agreement that Wells Fargo set up with me before me being accepted for this hardship program. 

The representative stated that she was sorry, but I had been declined for the Forbearance Agreement. I said, " how, you already accepted me, and now you are making me re-apply. I was forced to move in roommates into my home to assist me on their income requirements. I rented out three rooms in my house and charged enough to overly cover the mortgage, not including my income. Wells Fargo again declined me for their hardship program I was previously approved for XX/XX/2017. I still was frustrated and asked for clarification. 

My point was " hey, who has great credit coming out of year-long hardship? If everything was great financially, why would I have needed your help for this hardship? '' The continued to say sorry as if they genuinely cared that I was now at jeopardy of losing my home because they didn't want to hold their end of the agreement. 

I reached out to anyone that would assist, such as home assistance programs. I dealt with a great man by the name of XXXX, he tried his best to save my home, but after months of his guidance, he advised me that DC, had run out of funding for Maryland residents and that sadly he could not assist me. Wells Fargo stated that I either pay them XXXX or they would have to foreclose on my home. The went on to say, " but hey, we approved you for a short sale. '' As if this was a great thing, I stressed to Wells Fargo, " this is my home, I have put blood sweat and tears into all the work and memories I have in it. '' I advised them that I would fight with every ounce of power I had to prevent them from going back on their word. 

Wells Fargo argued that no they hadn't approved me for the Forbearance Program ( even though my letter says the exact opposite ) and that they were sorry that I had been confused. That word " sorry '' came out a lot and I told them that you couldn't drop a glass on the ground and say sorry. It will not put the glass back together, and even if you glue it again, it will never be the same. 

Before reaching out to my lawyer, I tried, again and again, to satisfy Wells Fargo 's request for them to reapprove me, in attempts to avoid this fight that I am having with them. The executive office reached out to me, and I thought this would be the answer. I advised them of my new career and income as well as my three tenants income. To no surprise, Wells Fargo STILL declined me. Their answer was sir your payments would go up, and you wouldn't be able to afford them ; thus, we had to reject

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation