Consumer complaint received 2022-09-27
Company: AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC
State: MN
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
I was in Forbearance with my mortgage lender due to XXXX XXXX related financial hardships, they gave me a 2 month extension on my forbearance, giving it an end date of XX/XX/2022. I spoke with them shortly before the end of my forbearance period was to commence, and they informed me they would be sending a packet/application to be filled out for their Underwriting Dept to review the best options moving forward with the reconvening of my loan payments while address the additional Forbearance deficit. On XX/XX/XXXX, on the launch date of the government HAF program-XXXX XXXX I immediately applied. My application was submitted fully complete with all required supporting documentation. I was contacted the following week to re-sign two authorization forms, which I did within that week and re-submitted. All required documents and phases of my application have been completed-time and date stamp, XX/XX/2022 @ XXXX. During my last conversations at the end of XXXX XXXX with my lenderXXXX XXXX. I was advised my loan was potentially being sold. I was advised any payments granted by the XXXX would be submitted to the new lender when their information became available. I was told in the meantime I would still be receiving the packet my lender had previously told me would be sent out in XX/XX/2022, at the commencing of my ( extended ) Forbearance period. I was also advised I should not make any payments until they were able to review my completed paperwork-as it would not be applied to any current payments due. 
In XXXX and XXXX a man came to my home taking pictures-advising my loan has been reassigned and that he was simply conducting routine monthly photographs per the lender. He was unable to give me any documentation nor provide me the name or contact info for my new servicer. In XXXX I began receiving calls from a XXXX number, I typically do not answer such numbers, assuming them to likely be spam. At the end of XXXX one of the calls resulted in a voicemail left on my cell phone-upon listening to the message I was made aware that a company by the name of AmeriHome was trying to contact me. Still assuming it was likely a sales solicitation to refinance, I returned the call. After several transfers, I was told that I was in an active foreclosure with a sales day, a month away on XXXX XXXX. I was in complete shock and demanded to understand how this could be. I was given a state local number to call, and told that I needed to speak to someone at that number, as they were the foreclosure dept. When I tried to explain that I was in the middle of completing my next steps to proceed at the close of my forbearance when my loan was apparently transferred to them without proper notice or instruction as how to contact or proceed with the new servicer-I was met with ghastly denial and was in fact told that they ( AmeriHome ) has always had my loan. 
I was told that they would send a packet out that must be completed before the XXXX to avoid sale but would take 7-10 business days to arrive. Once again advised to call the foreclosure department. I hung up and proceeded to call the number provided, and I reached a legal office. I left a voicemail on a Friday afternoon at XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX. I was in a complete panic, overcome with worry, confusion, and immense anxiety the entire weekend. I looked up my application status on XXXX and found the status stating XXXX XXXX Authorization Needed-set up. This lead me to believe they have been waiting on a response from the mortgage company to proceed with funding disbursement. On Monday I contacted the XXXX customer service line promptly at XXXX. The associate I spoke with advised she would unlock my account and I was to update the section of the application regarding my mortgage lenders contact info. She proceeded to hang up on me when I inquired further as to how to ensure this would be addressed and that I had a time sensitive foreclosure sale impeding. I went through my unopened mail and found a statement from XXXX most recent from AmeriHome and XXXX other correspondence from XX/XX/2022, also a payment statement. No where did it indicate I was in default or in threat of foreclosure. It did mention my delinquent payments-from my forbearance period, though the forbearance itself was not mentioned at all. There was a piece of paper with a Hud Counseling agencys contact info include separately, stating it was provide by the law office whom I had contacted on the previous Friday and indicated it was on behalf of them and XXXX XXXX dba XXXX XXXX?? Yet another mortgage name given, making it impossible to decipher what information I should even update my XXXX app with to ensure it the correct lender and mortgagee clause be provided. I was able to schedule a phone appt for later that day with XXXX of the HUD counselors from the agency provided in that included sheet of paper. She proved to be a wonderful and most helpful resource. She struggled to find any indication of AmeriHome as having a judgment or even a delinquent account status reported to my credit, she could not find any info on the upcoming sheriff sale that had been mentioned by two diff dates in the one phone conversation I had with AmeriHome. She advised I reach out to my local sheriffs office, which I did and they were unable to find any information on a foreclosure sale of my home, let along a scheduled auction sale in a month. I decided to try the law firm again, as they had not returned my call/message from Friday and the HUD counselor thought they might have more info as to the true status of my mortgage and verify or deny upcoming sale. I was advised they would have had to attempted to contact me 5 weeks prior to the scheduled sales date and on 3 occasions. I was transferred several times within the lawyers office staff voicemails, 2 of which were full and I could not even leave a message. I called back and demand I be able to speak with someone, I would hold if need be but I had a time pertinent matter to address. Finally I was given a staff member who proceeded to tell me she didnt know what I was seeking, that my loan servicer was Cenlar-after I had to stop her and request she spell it, as this was yet another lender I was being told was MY mortgage lender. I asked if i could get their address and phone number to contact, and also to provide XXXX. To which she responded, " I dont know that info ''. When I inquired about the validity of a foreclosure sale-she told me she could not comment on that and would have to wait for her " servicer 's report. I told her I didnt understand what that meant and that I was working with a HUD counselor who had advised me there was a 5 week timeline requirement-which clearly we were outside of, as the conversation was being had on XX/XX/XXXX, with an alleged sales date of XX/XX/XXXX which I had no paperwork on and both her office and the local county sheriffs office had no record of any such paperwork being served by either offices-nor a request to deliver in the future. She told me she didnt know anything about a sheriffs sale but they would have their sale, but she could not comment on when that may or may not take place. I expressed my deep uneasiness with the lack of information from anyone yet a vague non committal reference to a potential sale by all parties I had reached out to. She said she didnt know what I was needing, and hung up on me. 
I reached back out to the HUD counselor who instructed me to attempt to log in my online account from my previous and last known mortgage company, XXXX XXXX to see if I had received any correspondence to inform me of the sale of my mortgage and provide me with the information that AmeriHome was now my new lender and their contact info, also when this might have taking place. I attempted to access my previous account but was denied access. Due to the continued lack of information and general confusion, and nearly purposeful uncooperative nature or willingness for any of the involved parties to take responsibility and give direction as to the the actual mortgage servicer, status of loan, or foreclosure, and scheduled sale/and or remediation options, the HUD counselor informed me she would like to bring my situation to one of her supervisors. At the end of the business day she called back with some advice from her supervisor and her opinion that my previous lender, XXXXXXXX XXXX and/or my new lender, which was determined to be AmeriHome-had neglected to properly and accurately transfer my loan for servicing. Among the issues Ive stated, and in addition to-My forbearance period and dates were not correctly accounted for, and the extension was not included nor mentioned to the new servicer. This seemingly has caused the appearance of longer delinquent period, over 90 days, than the mortgage in actuality was at the time AmeriHome bought it, in-what we now learned from the Notice of Sale document we called BACK to the law office for the 5th time and were able to request, after being specifically advised what to ask for by the HUD supervisor-on exactly XX/XX/2022. The day the XXXX program launch for applications to be submitted and I subsequently submitted my application, at that time showing XXXXXXXX XXXX as my mortgage lender, which they were. 
I am now working with the HUD counselor to proceed with options to equip myself with the pending sale. I am beyond flabbergasted and appalled at the treatment I have received thus far and the seemingly nearly purposeful concealment of information I have the right to as a consumer, particularly concerning my largest purchase to date in my XXXX years, and undoubtedly my greatest asset. Aside from the blatantly inconsiderate and counterproductive unprofessional encounters I have had thus far-can we for a moment consider the cruelty to be so flippant and irresponsible regarding another persons home?! I am a XXXX  mom with XXXX children, who saved my entire down payment myself while making {$12.00}, prior to being laid off during XXXX I had never been late or missed a single payment on my mortgage. The day I closed on my home is and was one of the best moments of my entire life. I take great pride in the fact I was able to give my children a safe, consistent, and stable place where we dont have to rely on anyone or be separated due to lack of space or affordable housing in the rental market. I am astounded that the customer service, providing of information I can not otherwise obtain, and the literal battle to be given what should if nothing else, and surely not short of LEGALLY is due me. Ive had far better service at almost any drive thru Ive been too at this point then I am receiving from the holder of my mortgage. I have been physically Ill with worry and anxiety over the situation alone, and meet with an almost sabotaging agenda principle to merely gain information, I am apparently being held responsible for holding-yet it is literally being withheld creates a rather desperate and counterproductive futile chasing of ones own tail-so to speak. Considering that Foreclosures, are by their very nature a time sensitive and time obligated occurrences, it is simply unacceptable to allow lenders, services, and the third parties they employ to fulfill tasks on their behalf, to continue to operate with such a flagrant disregard and negligence for the consumers right to information, resolution options, timely and transparent access to documents, and contact information that can prevent the default or foreclosure of their mortgage loans. Particularly in regards to undermining the help for FHA and other government backed loans, when such allocated funds become available-especially following any national or world crisis, such as we saw and continue to see with XXXX XXXX. It is my sincere hope that the remainder of my attempt to work with the mortgage lender now holding me seemingly hostage in an active Foreclosure, will prove a better experience than the lack of such diligences and void of business principles and their seemingly unimportant integrity to adhere has brought us to this day. 

Thank you greatly for your time and consideration in this matter. My apologies for the overly wordy and unedited copy-I was not planning to share in the depth at which this became. I truly am shocked and concerned for my fellow American homeowners, who have gone or will go through a similar experience with their lender or this particular servicer. I doubt most have the tenacity to even continue to pursue what should not be a scavenger hunt of wasted precious time and energy to obtain in the first place. I know I have been left with an overwhelming sense of mistrust, disregard, and almost malicious opposition where I never imagined I would. Shame on me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation