Consumer complaint received 2021-10-26
Company: AMERIS BANCORP
State: GA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX I still do not understand the breakdown regarding my escrow account and partial claim calculations provided by Ameris Bank on XX/XX/XXXX. The information included in the explanation is incorrect in terms of my payment history which determines how my payments were applied after the COVID19 forbearance. Ive contacted Ameris on at least 50 different occasions and I still do not understand. 

The correspondence I received dated XX/XX/XXXX has a totally different breakdown than the one dated XX/XX/XXXX. 

If you are, in fact, saying that my negative escrow balance is negative {$890.00}, why are the calculations for the partial claim is based on the {$1800.00} increase in my mortgage payment due to the shortage identified in the XX/XX/XXXX escrow analysis, 5 months after I began the COVID19 forbearance? I dont owe you for the full year of Property Taxes, PMI and Homeowners Insurance for XXXX, per your response, I have a remaining escrow shortage of {$890.00}, BUT the amount youre submitting to HUD on my behalf has calculations based on an increased monthly payment amount as a result of an escrow analyst conducted in XX/XX/XXXX which Ive almost paid in full ( - {$890.00} remaining ). 

So if HUD pays the amount you have calculated @ {$21000.00} - how much of that will be applied to my XXXX & XXXX escrow shortage? Do I get to skip several future monthly payments? I havent missed a payment since I resumed making mortgage payments in XXXX of XXXX. I am requesting a breakdown of the {$21000.00} for the partial claim amount. The documents provided shows 14 months in the rears which again is incorrect based on your incorrect account of my payment history. Again, I am requesting a line by line breakdown of the {$21000.00}. 

Once again, Ive never missed a payment prior to taking the COVID19 forbearance and my Chapter XXXX BK filing. Ive made my payments on time EVERY month, again, with the exception of my XX/XX/XXXX payment which was included in my Chapter XXXX bankruptcy ( I have the documents from your attorney to prove it ). 

Therefore, when I started the COVID19 forbearance in XXXX, although I made my XXXX payment because I wasnt notified that my COVID19 forbearance request was approved until after the due date. You referenced when I resumed making monthly payments in XXXX, the payments were applied to the last unpaid month which started in XXXX of XXXX? That was BEFORE I started the COVID19 forbearance. The first payment I missed under the COVID19 forbearance was in XXXX of XXXX which continued thru XXXX of XXXX, which is a total of 8 months @ {$1300.00} because, again, I only owe {$890.00} for the remaining escrow shortage for XXXX. 

So even if the partial claim was calculated at {$1300.00} XXXX thru XXXX, and {$1800.00}, XXXX thru XXXX it still would not equal $ XXXX. I dont understand your calculations or the dates. The partial claim documents should reflect the correct monthly payment amount because again my escrow shortage for XXXX has a remaining balance of {$890.00} only and not the full year. 

Again, you referenced my payments in XXXX were applied to the last unpaid month which was XXXX of XXXX. Please review my payment history, I have the printout from Ameriss customer service team, as well as my bank statements, Ive made my monthly mortgage payments on time EVERY month - with the exception of the XX/XX/XXXX payment which was included my Chapter XXXX bankruptcy and the COVID19 forbearance in which I missed payments from XX/XX/XXXX thru XX/XX/XXXX. 

As I requested, the six payments that Ive made and paid an extra {$300.00} payment has been applied to my escrow shortage for XXXX. 

Now Im sure Ill be in another escrow shortage for XXXX. No payments were being applied to my escrow account while I was on the COVID19 forbearance and the extra payments I did make are being applied to XXXX. So your company decides to do an escrow analysis while Im on the COVID19 forbearance and increase my monthly payment at a time when I couldnt even afford to make the minimum mortgage payment.

It seems that in the best interest of the borrower, Ameris could have made adjustments to the escrow account shortage policy to align with the COVID19 Cares Act as not to negatively impact those of us who needed help during that time and are able to resume monthly mortgage payments. 

Thanks, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation