Consumer complaint received 2023-04-05
Company: Specialized Loan Servicing Holdings LLC
State: VA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
Good Day, I closed on my home on XX/XX/XXXX. Not long after closing, my mortgage was purchased by Specialized Loan Servicers ( SLS ). My mortgage payments were paid on time and paid in full up to present day. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a statement in the mail from SLS indicating my escrow account was short {$4300.00} ( see attached ). And due to this massive shortage in escrow, my mortgage is set to increase {$430.00} per month, from {$4100.00} monthly to {$4600.00} monthly. I did expect our mortgage to rise as our tax assessment did increase, however this large of an increase did not seem correct. 

I contacted SLS via phone call the week of XX/XX/XXXX. After several conversations with the escrow team and tax department. I determined the massive shortage is the result of a 3rd tax disbursement for tax year XXXX ( taxes for my county are collected semi-annually ). Per SLS, the 3 county tax disbursements are as follows ( see escrow account history attached ) XX/XX/XXXX : {$3500.00} for COUNTY TAX XX/XX/XXXX : {$3300.00} for COUNTY TAX XX/XX/XXXX {$3500.00} for COUNTY TAX So SLS advised me to contact my county tax office and determine the status of county taxes paid. So I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX Tax Administration Office who was able to provide me with a statement showing all county tax payments made for my address going back to first half XXXX taxes ( document is attached ). They also provided me detailed invoices of ALL the payments they have received from SLS since closing. These documents show that only 2 county tax payments were made from SLS to XXXX XXXX XXXX Tax Administration for tax year XXXX : Postmarked XX/XX/XXXX : {$3500.00} ( see attached ) Postmarked XX/XX/XXXX : {$3300.00} ( see attached ) There are also 3 additional payments received by XXXX from SLS ( see attached ) : Postmarked XX/XX/XXXX : {$57.00} ( XXXX XXXX and Stormwater Fee XXXX half taxes ) Postmarked XX/XX/XXXX : {$57.00} ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXr Fee 2nd half taxes ) Postmarked XX/XX/XXXX : {$650.00} ( I am assuming this is a late fee that SLS paid as they were late paying my first half taxes ) XXXX XXXX XXXX Tax Administration office never received a payment for {$3500.00} in XX/XX/XXXX, they only payment they received in XX/XX/XXXX was the {$57.00} for solid waste and stormwater fee. This discrepancy is the reason my escrow account is so short and why my mortgage is set to raise substantially. 

I once again contacted SLS and provided them the evidence showing that the tax payment in XXXX of XXXX was never received by the XXXX tax department. I escalated through SLS tax department and had a research case set up. The SLS rep I spoke with advised me that once the issue has been resolved, I will have to request another escrow analysis to re-adjust my mortgage. I was told this case would take 10 business days to resolve and it would be resolved by XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called SLS to get a resolution to this issue. I spoke with a manager in the tax department named XXXX. XXXX proceeds to tell me that the extra tax payment made in XX/XX/XXXX was a result of prior delinquent tax payments. This is 100 % inaccurate as I confirmed with the XXXX tax authority that all taxes were paid up to date and there were no unpaid/delinquent tax bills. Additionally, we would have never closed on the home in XXXX of XXXX if tax 's were unpaid or delinquent. The attached statement clearly shows that taxes for tax year XXXX were paid on time and in full by the previous owners of the home. 

During my phone call with XXXX, I requested proof that the XX/XX/XXXX disbursement was for unpaid/delinquent tax bills. She was unable to provide that to me. Her response was simply " this is the findings of our research team ''. I asked to speak to the research team, they do not take calls. I asked to speak to XXXX 's supervisor, she said there is nobody else to speak with and there are no other options to escalate. 

In summary, SLS has taken {$3500.00} from my escrow account and the money can not be located or returned. My escrow account doesn't have it, I don't have it, and XXXX Tax Administration doesn't have it. I have attached all the relevant documents for review : 1. Initial documentation from SLS advising me of escrow shortage ( see " Escrow Account History '' ) ( 4 Pages ) 2. Document from XXXX Tax Administration Office showing all payments made on the address for XXXX and XXXX ( XXXX Pages, see " Payments '' starting on Page 5 ) 3. Five separate receipts from XXXX Tax Administration Office showing every single payment they have received from SLS. 

Thank you for your time and efforts. 

XXXX 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