Consumer complaint received 2019-09-26
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: WV
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
Freedom Mortgages manages my home mortgage. I pay my mortgage online through XXXX XXXX XXXX. I received a letter dated XX/XX/19 stating Freedom Mortgages had not received the XX/XX/XXXX payment for my home loan and was instituting a {$15.00} late payment fee. My first response was to visit my XXXX XXXX XXXX branch bank on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, WV. My teller, XXXX, assured my XXXX XXXX XXXX had issued a check for the XXXX payment which was delivered on XX/XX/19. This was the first time I had learned that Freedom Mortgages does not accept online payments and required my bank to issue a check each month to them upon my request for the online payment. Upon my return home, I called Freedom Mortgages. Employee ID # XXXX responded to my inquiries about the payment by saying there was nothing he could do. He insisted his company had contacted all mortgage holders to change the address for payments. I told him the message sent in XX/XX/XXXX was addressed to all people who paid their mortgage with a check. I read and discarded the message because I paid my mortgage online. I explained I had received a second message on XX/XX/XXXX which added people who pay online should also change the address. I edited the address on XX/XX/XXXX, and I told the employee of Freedom Mortgages I should think that the XXXX XXXX would be open at least through the end of XX/XX/XXXX. I asked to speak with a supervisor. The employee asked if he couldn't find a supervisor, would I be willing to speak with a customer satisfaction ambassador. I agreed and spoke with employee ID XXXX who said the payment might have been thrown out and requested I pay immediately over the phone. Expressing my distrust of the responses given thus far, I asked for some type of response from Freedom Mortgages to safe guard me in case the check was cashed even though I had issued a second check for XX/XX/XXXX payment. I informed Freedom that my bank would charge me {$35.00} for a stop payment on the " lost '' check. After some time spent on hold employee XXXX returned to the phone to inform me my " lost '' check would be returned to my bank. To my question of when would the check be returned the employee informed me there was no way to determine when and again requested access to my bank account for the XX/XX/XXXX payment. I told the employee when my bank received the check I would reissue the payment. The employee told me if I didn't make the payment by the end of XX/XX/XXXX I would suffer negative financial consequences. I am a XXXX   XXXX on limited income. My finances can't uphold two mortgage payments in a single month. I think at the very least the late fee, the stop payment charge should be shouldered by Freedom Mortgages. I asked that my screen be notated about the " lost '' payment stopping any penalties or effects on my credit. This request was denied and backed up with the threat to my finances. Please help regulate this company. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WV XXXX

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