Consumer complaint received 2019-12-19
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: DE
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
I relocated in XXXX to XXXX to get a job previously, so was already living in a stressed situation of living in two states. I became in hardship as of XX/XX/XXXX when there was no income coming into my home because of job loss ( in XXXX   ). My wife had lost her job as well in XX/XX/XXXX. I notified Wells Fargo right away in XX/XX/XXXX of my situation, instead of them sending helpful options, persons were sent to our home in XXXX taking pics. At that point, we had received a starter kit from WF, " Let 's take the first step together. '' Nothing has been further from the truth. This kit included all paperwork we needed to submit to with a hardship application. I was assigned XXXX XXXX as Preservation Specialist. I submitted everything and was approved for a 1 month forbearance ( not 6 months ) and had to submit this hardship application and documents each month. I did this. I had been approved for $ XXXX/mo. I sent in more ( In XXXX WF returned the {$330.00} saying they could only accept entire payment of {$1400.00}, but didn't return the {$750.00} ). I was assigned a new home preservation specialist in XXXX. XXXX XXXX. I sent everything she requested and at the end because XXXX refused to be added to the Mortgage but was willing to be a noncontributing borrower ( she had started working parttime ), XXXX pretended something wasn't sent in and a new Preservation Specialist, XXXX XXXX, was sent in. She was a disaster and did nothing but lie to us and scream at us. Nothing was accomplished. In XXXX, a new Preservation Specialist XXXX XXXX was assigned. I was still unemployed at that time to in addition to sending the regular hardship documents, I also sent a letter stating our plans that I would retire and earn {$1800.00} starting XX/XX/XXXX if I couldn't find a job. In XXXX ( prior to me getting new job ) I was approved to restart the {$25.00} payments in XXXX but this time in a 6 month forbearance. Never offered a special forbearance to catch up past 5.5 months or have them added to end of loan. I became employed XX/XX/XXXX. I made the {$25.00} payment on XX/XX/XXXX. I notified XXXX that I was now employed and could make the regular payments. She said this would end the forbearance and I would have the option of permanent solution with other loss mitigation options. She sent the paperwork. I went ahead and made the previously scheduled {$25.00} payment on XX/XX/XXXX. I also made the regular payment {$1400.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. I submitted all hardship documentation paperwork XX/XX/XXXX by fax and email and asked if I could have my missed payments added to the end of the loan or use some of PMI ( I had {$22000.00} paid into PMI ). On XX/XX/XXXX, I receive the offer of the worst option that would still keep us in our home ; to do a loan modification ( which would add an additional 66 months ) instead of an offer of using PMI for partial claim or adding the 5.5 months to end of loan, I'd asked for either when I submitted my XX/XX/XXXX hardship documents. I stated I was now able to pay the mortgage and just needed a good solution to catch up payments. I called several times stating this was not the best option and that clearly they didn't use my current paystubs. I now know later that they used W2s from 2 previous years as my earnings ( if I'd been earning that, I wouldn't have had a hardship, as well as used the possible social security I would receive if I didn't get a job by end of year. I never put either on my hardship application. I filed an appeal on XX/XX/XXXX. SEE BELOW APPEAL to Wells Fargo Letter from Wells Fargo dated XX/XX/XXXX Loan Number : XXXX Wells Fargo Home Mortgage FAX : XXXX FHA National Servicing Center FAX : XXXX I believe the decision to unfairly apply FHAs guidelines are incorrect. I believe there are less worse choices than Wells Fargo wanting 66 months added to reinstate a loan of 5.5 months delinquent is unfair ( I will be making the regular mortgage payment of {$1400.00} on XX/XX/XXXX ). I believe only reducing the mortgage by .03 percent in the 66 months is equally unfair. ( Payment will only be reduced by $ XXXX/mo when now I can pay the current mortgage amount ). That amounts to over {$90000.00} benefit to Wells Fargo. I believe they looked at my credit report showing credit cards paid off, they were charged off but because of my good history with them they are reporting this in the best possible way. 

I was given 20 days to respond ( by XX/XX/XXXX ) to underwriters regarding XX/XX/XXXX letter, however I didnt receive the letter until XX/XX/XXXX. 


APPEAL to Wells Fargo Letter from Wells Fargo dated XX/XX/XXXX Page Two Loan Number : XXXX I received a call from the previous Specialist on XX/XX/XXXX stating that a letter was coming dated XX/XX/XXXX. I asked spouse, XXXX try to reach XXXX XXXX. She left voicemails. 

We reached XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. We let him know the concerns. 

1 ) All the different dates that need a response to the same issue are meant to confuse and frustrate., i.e., Respond to XXXX in 14th days to letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. Respond to Underwriters by XX/XX/XXXX for same issue. 
2 ) On email dated XX/XX/XXXX, it states that a final review was being done and I would hear regarding it soon. Again, the XX/XX/XXXX letter clearly states on Page 8 of 9, This trial plan is an agreement to temporarily accept reduced payments that are estimated to be the final FHA HAMP modified payment amount. 
3 ) No further terms listed but weve learned that a modification is an automatic 360 months. We are ages XXXX and XXXX. Thats unacceptable and totally unfair. This only benefits Wells Fargo. 
4 ) I havent been given the opportunity to catch up APPEAL to Wells Fargo Letter from Wells Fargo dated XX/XX/XXXX Page Three Loan Number : XXXX payments. An extension of up to 12 months would remove the negative feel of predatory assisting and allow me to catch up my mortgage without changing any terms. Why wasnt I allowed that? Its as if Im being punished for getting a job. 
5 ) The difference in the tradeoff of 5.5 months ( because all payments havent been applied and even the first 2 payments in XXXX havent been applied ) to 66 months has to be something FHA can do something about. The amortization is all wrong. The big banks, especially Wells Fargo could care less about doing this to Mortgagors, they will probably collect billions from families like ours and pay the government back a few of the billions. This is shameful and predatory. 

Im hoping this can be resolved prior to XX/XX/XXXX. The deadline to accept something so bad its unbelievable. 

Sincerely XXXX XXXX for XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) ; XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) I spoke with XXXX XXXX the Preservation Specialist that was assigned XX/XX/XXXX re the falsified earnings on XX/XX/XXXX. WF right away responded to the appeal XX/XX/XXXX with the same offer. When we spoke with XXXX again that there were better options such as a partial claim and that even the current offer had falsified earnings on it, he stated, I didn't add that on the appeal. WF underwriter 's. He said the appeal could only be done once and ended the call. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with him again and submitted an Amendment to the Appeal. SEE BELOW. As of today, We haven't received a response to the Amended Appeal or other possible loss mitigation steps other than lose our home. 

XX/XX/XXXX Amendment to Appeal to Wells Fargo Letter from Wells Fargo dated XX/XX/XXXX Loan Number : XXXX Wells Fargo Home Mortgage XXXX XXXX, Preservation Specialist Email : XXXX FHA National Servicing Center FAX : XXXX XXXX I and XXXX spoke with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to discuss the appeal that was faxed on XX/XX/XXXX. 

The offered mortgage payment ( trial and beyond ) of {$1400.00} is miscalculated. I submitted my actual gross pay of $ XXXX/wk paystubs. WellsFargo falsely added an additional $ XXXX/mo to my gross annual pay. I have never submitted an application to WellsFargo with Social Security added as my earnings. In XXXX and XXXX I sent a copy of what I could expect to receive from Social Security if I didnt get a job prior to XX/XX/XXXX. I did start work. Again. I never submitted {$1800.00} as part of my earnings in any WF application. I have never received any earnings from Social Security. My application for Social Security is suspended until such a time as when I can retire. Therefore, WellsFargo underwriters deliberately falsified my income. Please amend the calculations based on my actual earnings that are on my XX/XX/XXXX application. 

XXXX XXXX for XXXX XXXX In the meantime from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX, HUD/FHA has been not returning calls to assist even though I submitted everything to them as well. 

I will be uploading all documents. 

Please help us in this unfair situation that WF and HUD/FHA seem to knowingly do to consumers.

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