Consumer complaint received 2021-01-03
Company: SANTANDER BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NY
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern : Due to the global pandemic, we requested loan forbearance from Santander and were approved for 3 months beginning XX/XX/XXXX thru XX/XX/XXXX. When we were first approved, I sent an email on XX/XX/XXXX to the attention of XXXX regarding the repayment options and was told that I would have to wait until the forbearance was over to find out my options. I believe his actual name was casually mentioned as XXXX or XXXX. It was very vague as I wasnt told who I would be working with, nor the ability to send him a direct email or phone call. That was concerning as it should be clear from the beginning what the options are. 

I waited until the forbearance was over and my first call to the Loss Mitigation Dept was on XXXX. I asked what the repayment options were and was told my loan processor would contact me. I never received a call. I called again on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that deferral was necessary. It is my understanding that forbearance and deferral are the same thing and I should expect some form of paperwork. I called on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX. I asked again for the repayment options and she was not able to share that information with me. She stated she was new and wasnt familiar with the options. She suggested I extend the forbearance for an additional 3 months, XXXX thru XXXX, to which I agreed. 

I called again on XXXX because I had yet to receive an email or any paperwork and my mortgage payment was due. I was told, I should expect paperwork within 30 days. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called again and was told paperwork could take up to 30 days and to be patient. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter stating that I was behind on my mortgage payments by 2 months for XXXX and XXXX and that we have incurred {$75.00} in late charges. 

I called in on XXXX and spoke with XXXX. I requested the forbearance for a 3rd time to cover XXXX thru XXXX. Additionally, because of the 2 delinquent payments, my credit score fell by 83 points as of XXXX. I requested an adjustment to credit reporting as non-delinquent/natural disaster under the CARES act. My previous credit score was XXXX. Due to this large drop in my credit score, as well as my husbands, we are not able to do other life actions without high interest rates or added fees. This is causing us financial harm. 

Because of the inability to get information from my loan processor or anyone else, I have resorted to calling every week to check the status. The following list includes my call dates and associates spoken to : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX : credit bureau reporting will take 30 days, put in a reminder on XX/XX/XXXX that my case was escalated on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX : told I was under protection from foreclosure, to expect a forbearance agreement within 30 days and once received to give Loss Mitigation Dept a call. She also opened a case for credit bureaus to re-review our credit scores for credit correction for XXXX & XXXX. Lastly, noted that Ill receive paperwork from Loss Mitigation XXXX XXXX : reached out to the specialist/loan processor on my account. She asked for the deferral to be removed and replaced with forbearance for XXXX. She also noted my forbearance could possibly include XXXX dependent on the specialists feedback XXXX XXXX : she would check with my loan processor, XXXX XXXX, and theyre working on my paperwork and to call back XX/XX/XXXX XXXX : stated that forbearance is guaranteed approval up to 6 months with XXXX, then was cut off XX/XX/XXXX XXXX : requested XXXX XXXX contact me, opened a task to fix the credit and a task to send me a paperwork package XX/XX/XXXX XXXX : requested a team lead/upper management give me a call to help resolve this issue as well as request a call from XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX : couldnt find XXXX XXXX information to request a call, wouldnt transfer me to a team lead/upper management. Suggested I send an email to 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