Consumer complaint received 2021-08-01
Company: Union Home Mortgage Corp
State: AZ
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
Union Home Mortgage is forcing consumers to use their automated payment portal as the only mechanism to make monthly mortgage payments without risk of adverse credit reporting and increased fees ( charges to pay by phone, late fees caused by their processing center and random other fees not explained on statements ).

We have had a mortgage with Union Home since XXXX and used the automated payment system from loan inception until XX/XX/XXXX. At this time, we chose to modify how we manage all our personal finances from auto pay on the merchant portal ( s ) to direct debit from our XXXX XXXX checking account via their XXXX  XXXX Guarantee Bill Pay services, including our monthly mortgage payment to Union Home.

We experienced immediate challenges with Union Home refusing to accept an ECH transfer directly from our bank and instead requiring a papercheck to be sent to a PO Box for payment. The first month ( XX/XX/XXXX ) resulted in our payment processing late with Union Home reporting a 30 day late across all 3 major credit bureau agencies for my husband and myself ( with the exception of XXXX for which they reported me as 30 days delinquent in XX/XX/XXXX incorrectly ). Despite a year of trying to resolve this matter our credit reports are still showing a delinquent payment from Union Home during this time frame XXXX/XXXX  XXXX.

Further, despite cancelling the Union Home 'Auto Pay ' option on their website portal in XX/XX/XXXX, their system proceeded to auto draft our monthly payment on the first of each month, then credit back to our account around the XXXX of each month from XX/XX/XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX. Each month they were in receipt of a papercheck initiated from XXXX XXXX Bill Pay services prior to the first of each month that they would hold for deposit until the end of each month. In XX/XX/XXXX, Union Home then flagged our account as " certified funds only due to non-sufficient funds '' and stopped cashing the XXXX XXXX direct bill payment checks entirely ( all of which were mailed to the PO Box ). They then began adding late fees and other misc fees to our account. 

I filed a claim with XXXX XXXXXXXX Bill Pay services in mid-XXXX  and facilitated a conference call with XXXX XXXX and Union Home representative ( s ) and was advised by Union Home : 1 ) All late fees charged to the account would be reversed ; 2 ) To stop payment on the XXXX XXXX Bill Pay Checks for XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX and reissue payment once funds were deposited back into our account. Note, upon receipt of funds deposited I immediately attempted to make payment via Union Home web portal but our account could no longer be accessed and was directed to call for support and required to make our mortgage payment ( s ) via phone and was then charged a per month fee to make payment by phone. Throughout this period, I attempted to contact Union Home via website message portal, phone, fax, and mail to the directed PO Box for claim issues, all without reply. 

As a result of these matters, our credit score has dropped hundreds of points, we have had to pay increased insurance rates, and we have lost the ability to refinance this mortgage. A review of the XXXX XXXX XXXX website appears that numerous other Union Home consumers have related challenges in simply trying to pay their monthly house payment. This mortgage company is preying on its customers and should be held accountable to fair credit and consumer standard laws.

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