Consumer complaint received 2021-08-30
Company: HILLTOP HOLDINGS, INC
State: SC
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
We closed on our home in XX/XX/XXXX. At this time we were advised to ensure we got our new home as our permanent address so that our XXXX taxes reflect the 4 % for our county. But it was in XX/XX/XXXX that I noticed our escrow account had a credit or negative balance. I called the mortgage company Primelending  and was advised they had no idea why this was showing like this, as it was send over from the closing with a negative balance. I called my loan officer that we closed with and he advised that we actually needed to get our tax information with the county corrected, so they could fix our escrow account. So I went ahead and send all information over to XXXX County, SC Tax Assessor office, so this was in XX/XX/XXXX, when speaking to the County office they informed me that they were three months behind on processing payment due to COVID, which I understood. I was at this time I informed them that my fianc was on XXXX  XXXX and this was going to cause a hardship. I reached out to my State Rep and County Councilwoman who in effect got this moved up and had my application processed early to include getting it moved to the Treasurer office so a refund could be sent to the mortgage company. But by XX/XX/XXXX I received a bill that my mortgage payment was going to triple. So I reached back out to my State Rep who had the treasurer 's office reach out to me and advised they were processing the refund that day in a effort to head off my mortgage tripling. So in XX/XX/XXXX I reach back out to the mortgage company who at this time advised they had no idea why my escrow was still excessive, and I again reached out to my loan officer who said while he doesn't normally do anything with customers after closing he would dig to get me an answer. It was at this time he said he couldn't reach anyone at the county office, but if I was able to him a check number and date it was issued he could have them pull the check and post to our account. So in XXXX of XXXX I found this information with the help of my county councilwoman and the commissioner who advised the check number and date of issuing was XX/XX/XXXX. I called the loan officer to provide this information but didn't reach him so I emailed this information. He informed me via email that the office was unable to locate this check. And he would have to get back with me, well that didn't happen. So I reached back out customer service where I have received a myriad of answers on why this check has not posted. I have spoken with multiple reps to respond that they have no idea where the check was, and that if I could more information they can transfer it to another department. So I once again asked my county council woman if they county could do a trace on the check to see if it was cashed. When speaking with a representative at Primelending  it wasn't until Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX that I got a representative who advised he would open a task for the company to do research, and requested that I have the county check to get an address on where the check was sent and if it had been cashed. He informed me that I would get an answer by XX/XX/XXXX. Well on XX/XX/XXXX I called back for an updated only to be advised that they would not be able to provide an answer until XX/XX/XXXX. I also followed up on this date because I got a notification that a property insurance payment has been disbursed, which prompted me to ask this representative why they issued a payment in XXXX when our premium with XXXX XXXX runs from XXXX to XXXX with payment being made in XXXX. She said they pay premiums every six months, which I didn't think much of since we had previously used XXXX XXXX, and figured this was just a change since this is a different lender. Well imagine my surprise when today I got a text from my insurance agent saying they had not received a payment on our insurance, and if not received by XX/XX/XXXX our policy would be canceled. So I today call Primelending  only to find out that they claim they had no insurance on our loan which is untrue considering we were legally required to have a policy at closing and it has not changed ever. I also know that my insurance agent called their company back in XXXX to provide the new premium for changed we had made to the home. Well the representative I spoke to today advised that they made a {$1500.00} payment to a insurance company they put on our loan which we never received any information on because we didn't have a insurance company. I flat out advised this was not true. We have had the same insurance company for 15 years, and this was becoming a trend which their company. They disburse payments and then send us the bill and our escrow account continues to get in the negative. To make matters worse we now have to pay out to our insurance company a payment all because Primelending  has once again claimed not to have received any information on our loan. I informed the representative this continues to be a trend which I believe is meant to overcharge us and make us pay a higher mortgage and that I have never had a mortgage company disburse fund for a loan that were not paid in full. The representative declined to answer any further questions stating that she had answered all my questions and that I will need to callback after XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX to get an answer on the check and insurance information being updated. This can't be legal. They continue to claim not to receive infromation and continue to increase the money we owe on escrow essentially, causing out mortgage payment to increase, without sending any documentation of their actions.. On Friday XX/XX/XXXX I have faxed them a certified letter from XXXX county indicating where the check was mailed with a copy of the check and that it was not cashed and the representative today indicated another department handles tax issue, and I will have to wait. As I state to the representative everyone seems to be doing their part, but your company. Let me add the loan officer did advise he informed his team to do a partial adjustment based on the check information but I informed him that wouldn't be acceptable as they have all information and need to locate where this payment is and update this correctly, because all this will do is be prolong until XXXX and this will be compounding issue when yearly taxes are do.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation