Consumer complaint received 2017-10-30
Company: Caliber Home Loans, Inc.
State: NE
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I have had my mortgage loan serviced by Caliber Home Loans , Inc for over 3 yrs, and have always paid on time, and have added add'l principal to the required payment. I have always used my online bill pay. I set up automatic payments at the time that I took the mortgage out, through XXXX XXXX, and I can verify that the payments have gone out on time, EVERY month, with add'l principal payments. 

On XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, I received notice from XXXX XXXX that my payment had been returned. I called, as I was surprised that my payment was being mailed. It was, as they said that Caliber will not accept electronic payments, ( which seems antiquated ). XXXX XXXX could n't tell me why my payment was returned, so I had to reach out to Caliber Home loans. I tried to call, and was n't able to get anyone to pick up. So I managed to log onto their website, and sent a request to verify why my payment was returned. I have an automated response from them on the XXXX of XXXX, stating that they would reply to me within 5 days. Again, I still have a copy of that email, but I did n't get a reply. I verified that it did n't go to my spam folder. NO RESPONSE, I know, shocking!!!! 

So I was finally determined to call in and find out why my payment was returned, so I blocked off an hour of my time to stay on hold an get through. I did eventually get someone to answer, and he explained that they had changed the mailing address during the previous month. He claimed that they sent a notice to my bank that they had changed the address to a P.O. Box. I tried to change the address on my bill pay, but it would n't allow me to enter the address that he gave me. So I called my bank, XXXX XXXX, and I was fortunate enough to get someone who then called Caliber to find out why the payment was returned. We were on the phone together, and were told a different address, and told that the reason my payment was returned was because the account number referenced on the check was incorrect. So we updated both the address and the account number, and resent the check through my bill pay on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. 

I received a collection notice a couple days ago, so I called and was told they had received my payment, and that there had been no penalties. I then asked him to go through the last few transactions, and was shocked to find that I had a smaller amount applied to 'additional principal ' with this payment, then with the previous months payment. Upon that catch, the rep, XXXX ( # XXXX ) stated that I WAS in fact charged a {$35.00} late fee. I asked him to have a someone call me back, this was on Fri the XXXX, only one business day prior to today. Today, I rec 'd a statement that again reflected that my previous months payment had n't been made, and it DID reflect that late fee on it. So I took the time to call again .... Determined to be refunded  the {$35.00} fee that I should n't have been charged. 

Today, the rep told me that I should have noticed the address change on my monthly statements, and that it was n't their responsibility to let me know that they had changed their address. I confirmed that I have the correct address and account number in my bill pay software, and expect the payment that my bank is sending today, will be applied on time. 

I ca n't believe the nerve they have to fail to respond to my electronic request sent through their website, on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, the day after I rec 'd notice that my payment was returned. I have confirmed that they did n't respond to that, and I waited 5 business days to call, just as their automated response email said to. I am also appalled that a loan servicing company does n't accept payments electronically. Either way, I 've done all that I could to get the montly payment to them on time, and for more than the amount due for the past 3 years. I am determined to not pay a late fee, as I tried everything, to get their payment to them, on time ; despite the fact that they changed the address and did n't bother to send me a notice.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief