Consumer complaint received 2022-04-04
Company: Ocwen Financial Corporation
State: PA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
My Mortgage Service Company ( PHH ) failed multiple times to appropriately pay my XXXX real estate taxes via escrow account. I subsequently received a federal lien on my property that required me to pay the taxes, plus fees, directly to avoid any further action. PHH is now refusing to reimburse me for their mistake despite numerous attempts to resolve the issue. I have documentation for everything and provided PHH all the same documentation, but highlights are the following : XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX : My real estate taxes were due. If paid by XX/XX/XXXX it's {$570.00} to received 2 % discount, by XX/XX/XXXX {$590.00} full amount, after XX/XX/XXXX it's {$650.00} includes late penalty. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I received a letter from local tax collector for unpaid taxes. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Spoke with PHH about issue XX/XX/XXXX : Faxed PHH a notice of error letter. Included the specifics from tax collector letter that if paid after XX/XX/XXXX, only a bank cashier check or money order would be accepted. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Called for update. Was told to wait until XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : Called again for update after no response. No update provided XX/XX/XXXX : Called again for update. No update provided. Transferred to escalation department. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Provided another notice of error letter, this time via email. Similar to original, it detailed the specific payment requirements needed by local tax collector. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Left message for escalation team about update since none provided XX/XX/XXXX : Voicemail from escalation team that they are still working on it. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Email received from escalation team that taxes were paid appropriately. They said a payment of {$650.00} was sent on XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : Received notice of delinquent taxes letter from Country Govt informing me a lien was placed on my property and now total due with additional fees was {$740.00} and more fees would be added if non-payment continues. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I paid my taxes online per instructions from the county website to avoid any further action on my property. Total amount due was now {$760.00} which included a service fee for payment of {$19.00}. I paid {$760.00} via my credit card. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I sent an email to the escalation department requesting full reimbursement for {$760.00} and included all documentation to this point. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Received response from escalation team. Was told that my local tax collector rejected their payment of {$570.00} on XX/XX/XXXX ( which is a different amount than previously indicated was sent by PHH ), that a refund for {$570.00} was applied to my escrow balance on XX/XX/XXXX ( which there was no record of actually occurring per my escrow account balance statements ) and they can't take any action until XX/XX/XXXX when an escrow analysis is performed. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I sent an email to escalation team highlighting my prior and new concerns, in addition to again asking for reimbursement. They included 1 ) Concern over XXXX communication from them after realizing on XX/XX/XXXX that they failed to pay my taxes which would result in an eventual lien. 2 ) Concern over reference to a rejected tax payment of {$570.00} when they previously informed me that {$650.00} was sent to my tax collector. 3 ) Concern over their reference of {$570.00} being refunded to my escrow balance on XX/XX/XXXX since there was no record of any such action in my escrow balance to date. I reminded them of the multiple legal responsibilities they have failed to adhere to so far, requested reimbursement again, along with asking for documentation that provided evidence of the escrow refund claim. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Received a response from escalation team indicating they can't fulfill any of my requests and that I would need to reach out, via mailed letter only, to their research department.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation