Consumer complaint received 2018-09-24
Company: Specialized Loan Servicing Holdings LLC
State: NM
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX B XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NM XXXX Speicalized Loan Servicing P O Box XXXX XXXX, Co, XXXX whom it may concern, As you know, I just returned to XXXX XXXX from a two-year term of service training XXXX XXXX teachers with the XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX. I was so happy to have had this XXXX XXXX experience. It was a lifelong dream of mine to be of service to others with difficult lives who are less fortunate than we Americans. 
When I began my service with the XXXX XXXX I was in the process of seeking a loan modification. A representative from XXXX  ( my lien holder ) informed me that that had transferred my loan to XXXX XXXX XXXX. I gave the XXXX representatives and their attorneys my email and a good phone number where they could reach me in XXXX, should there be any issues with my loan modification and payments. They informed me that email was an appropriate means of contact, and agreed to contact me by email or phone should the need arise. In addition to setting up automatic electronic payments with XXXX, at the time I signed my loan modification documents in XX/XX/XXXX, I also paid one extra month so that I would always be one month ahead just to be safe. My payments were always on time and, in fact, paid a month in advance. 
I was very happy to be back in my cozy XXXX XXXX, New Mexico XXXX upon my return from overseas on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX is, until I opened my mail and discovered that none of my automatic payments on the XXXX XXXX XXXX mortgage loan had been withdrawn since XX/XX/XXXX because my loan had been transferred to another entity that ceased to accept the payments. My XXXX stopped, I was in shock, I couldnt stop crying. I have been unable to sleep since that date. XXXX XXXX Loans had ( finally ) agreed to modify my home loan in XXXX, XXXX, after XXXX years in foreclosure and XXXX H.A.M.P. applications for loss mitigation. This was so important and such a relief to me, because XXXX XXXX XXXX is part of a compound that I built over the course of XXXX years of hard work. The home will insure me enough retirement income to allow me to stay in my separate little casita as I enter my final years. 
I found out that night that XXXX had transferred my mortgage to XXXX XXXX Mortgage and their servicer, Specialized Loan Servicing ( SLS ), without notifying me in our agreed upon method via email. Contact with XXXX representatives had all been by email during the process of entering the loan modification agreement, so I was simply astonished to learn that neither XXXX nor SLS had made any attempt to call or email me. Presumably, either XXXX neglected to tell SLS how to contact me, or SLS intentionally declined to do so. In short, XXXX and SLS unilaterally stopped taking my automatic payments without notifying me beforehand. 
I didnt have any way to know all this had happened because I couldnt get my mail in XXXX, owing to the fact that the postal service there is unreliable and mail takes months, if it comes at all. XXXX was fully aware of this difficult situation, as I had to submit applications and exchange documents by email during the loan modification. I have attached a copy of the unequivocal agreement they sent me to send and receive all correspondence digitally. ( See Attachment 1 ).  Further, I wasnt able to see my XXXX XXXX XXXX Bank ( XXXX ) accounts through e-banking since XXXX because XXXX changed their e-banking security program and the XXXX internet took too long for XXXX new e-banking program. I have also attached an email I got from XXXX   representative attempting to explain why I no longer had access to my online bank account. ( See Attachment 2 ). 
I had zero notice of this servicer/bank transfer, zero notice that my automatic payments were cancelled ( or why ), and zero notice that I was behind on any payments. The next thing I discovered in my mail was that there was a huge shortage in my escrow account on XXXX XXXX XXXX. Apparently, XXXX XXXX Loans had not collected enough in the escrow account to pay the taxes and insurance. They transferred the shortage to SLS who promptly raised my payment from {$910.00} to {$1200.00}. This terrible situation appears to be the direct result of XXXX and SLSs mistakes and unfair business practices. 
I have another mortgage on my other XXXX properties that are part of my above-mentioned compound. When the lender for that loan, XXXX, transferred the loan ( also modified ) to XXXX XXXX Home Loans, XXXX XXXX just continued my automatic payments as agreed. When that escrow was short because of an increase in property taxes, they changed the escrow amount and emailed me about the new payment amount and the reason for it. This appears to be the appropriate way to handle the notice and escrow issues described. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called SLS and told them what had happened. I informed them I wanted to immediately make all the back payments and reinstate my loan, as the whole situation was due to my not being aware of the transfer. The representative assured me she would have the reinstatement amount within XXXX to XXXX hours and that I was to call back. I called back XXXX hours later and was told that SLS hadnt received the reinstatement amount from the lawyers. I asked for the lawyers phone numbers and then spent the afternoon trying to find the attorneys in question. I was sent to Florida and then to Arizona and then XXXX XXXX. Each representative I spoke with knew that I simply wanted to reinstate my loan and make any and all back payments immediately. Despite the fact that SLS knew I lacked effective notice and that I wanted to make the payments and reinstate the loan, the very next day SLS attorneys filed foreclosure documents in District Court. 
I hope to pay off the corrected shortage on my escrow account and make all the back payments on my mortgage as soon as possible. I would also like to continue my loan payments of {$790.00}, principal and interest and pay the {$200.00} escrow amount per month instead of the {$110.00} I had been paying, for a total payment of {$1000.00} per month. I will not pay any legal fees or late fees or penalties. Penalizing me for the loan servicers failure to communicate with me and with each other is unfair and improper. 
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and thank you in advance for making this right. I hope to avoid raising these issues with the Court and with all relevant administrative agencies and do believe we can resolve the matter amicably. 
Respectfully, XXXX XXXX cc : XXXX XXXX Loans Specialized loan Servicing P O Box XXXX XXXX, Co, XXXX XXXX XXXX Mortgage XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, New York, NY, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Washington, DC XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau PO Box XXXX XXXX, IA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Oklahoma XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NM 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