Consumer complaint received 2021-05-14
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: SC
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent an email to XXXX, per company agent, requesting the escrow account associated with loan # XXXX be absolved for both property taxes and home insurance. At that time I was asked to provide proof of homeowners insurance ( with the Declarations page ) and payment of property taxes. After several subsequent calls and emails to Freedom Mortgage providing numerous agents duplicates of the same information, three months later I finally received a notification letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, stating my escrow account had been absolved with an effective date of XX/XX/XXXX. ( Mortgage statements following this notification reflected accordingly. ) Following absolve of the escrow account associated with my VA loan # XXXX, I submitted application to refinance the loan to procure a lower interest rate. After an additional four months back and forth with Freedom Mortgage attempting to initiate the loan, to my surprise on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a postal notification stamped XXXX XXXX ( NMLS # : XXXX ) informing that my refinance loan # XXXXXXXXXX request had been withdrawn and the loan cancelled. Although the letter stated otherwise, this was not initiated at my request. Oddly a couple days later a representative reached out requesting information and I sent home declaration documents via email to XXXX re : loan # XXXX. Nothing was heard thereafter. 

I initiated an application for a third VA loan refinance the following year on XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. The loan application was submitted and accepted on XX/XX/XXXX, per representative under loan # XXXX. I was informed that the typical refinance process was approximately 30 45 days to close. Currently its been

four month to no avail. Despite providing requested documents to agency representatives several times and a plethora of email correspondence ( see Enclosures ) to date [ XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ], this process is still ongoing. As outlines below, documents provided include proof of homeowners insurance ( declaration page ), proof of payment for homeowner insurance, and proof of payment for property taxes. I also enlisted the assistance of XXXX, my insurance company, to provide requested proof of insurance and payment. 
Since XX/XX/XXXX, Ive had four failed closings all the result of numerous errors which can be attributed to oversights by Freedom Mortgage ( FM ). 

Closings scheduled and noted errors : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Received correspondence from Senior Loan Officer, XXXX XXXX ( NMLS # XXXX ) whom I had spoke with extensively on my loan and the VA refinance. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received phone call from XXXX XXXX who informed that my escrow wavier has been approved. During The call we also discussed a new rate and settled on 2.25 % loan refi. 
XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX sixteen ( 16 ) page XXXX document to XXXX per rep for home owner insurance with effective date of XX/XX/XXXX. I was informed someone would verify with XXXX. ( initially sent XXXX XXXX and XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ) Following phone call to FM, XXXX requested paid in full receipt for the property taxes and home insurance showing as paid for the year. 
XX/XX/XXXX Resent XXXX homeowners insurance documents to XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Sent home declaration documents a 4th time to XXXX and XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Received text notification from XXXX Law Firm re : scheduled closing with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Notified Freedom Mortgage ( FM ) escalations Team that the notary nor myself had received closing documents for the XX/XX/XXXX scheduled closing date. Final Disclosure was email same day from XXXX. 
Thereafter, I immediately called to inform XXXX of the discrepancies with CD. 
XX/XX/XXXX Responding to XXXX former email, I/the made her aware that, Todays closing was cancelled by XXXX XXXX firm ( via text ) as neither party received the required documents to move forward with the loan signing. The following were cc on the correspondence : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX email to XXXX requesting a return phone call about the loan. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received email from XXXX stating FM was, awaiting for confirmation that [ my ] rate will be extended past the expiration date of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received notification of closing scheduled with XXXX Law Firm on XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Received text notification from XXXX Law Firm re : scheduled closing with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I called into FM after non-receipt of a CD. I was informed that the final cd was approved and requested a copy. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received text notification from XXXX Law Firm re : scheduled closing with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Final Disclosure for XX/XX/XXXX closing was received from Ursino who reviewed documents with me and I informed of noted discrepancies with the document. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received closing loan reminder with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ( note above changed ) XX/XX/XXXX Called and spoke with XXXX XXXX to notify that today I was closing and there was still errors on the document ( e.g. escrow waiver not applied ). Also inquired regarding if there would be a closing today. 
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX Firm informed that closing no closing documents were received. Closing cancelled. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Financial Closing Disclosure received. Document incorrect again.

Emailed XXXX to alert of error on the CD documents associated with my loan XX/XX/XXXX XXXX acknowledged ( via email ) receipt of documents from XXXX and forwarding information he received in reference to you homeowners Insurance to underwriting. XXXX also requested ( and I provided on XXXX  XXXX, XXXX ). 
XX/XX/XXXX Received email from XXXX that approval to waive the escrow from the refi is annotated on the loan from a Manager in the Under Writing Department XX/XX/XXXX Closing scheduled but cancelled. Homeowner not informed. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received notice of payoff for current loan ( unpaid principal bal {$130000.00} ). I was assessed {$3500.00} for an escrow waiver thats been approved XX/XX/XXXX, a {$27.00} late fee (? ) and {$740.00} in accrued interest. 
XX/XX/XXXX Final Disclosure for XX/XX/XXXX closing was received from XXXX who reviewed documents with me and I informed of noted discrepancies with the document. ( Notably, I was assessed escrow account charges ) increasing my new loan amount to {$140.00}, XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX Closing Disclosure XXXX not final but most recent ) was received from XXXX who reviewed documents with me and I informed again of noted discrepancies with the document. ( escrow/amt ) XX/XX/XXXX Despite the errors I received notification of closing date scheduled with XXXX Law Firm on XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Received closing date reminder XX/XX/XXXX Received 2nd closing date reminder XX/XX/XXXX Received a 3rd closing loan reminder with a XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Day of closing : No updated disclosure had been provided so I call FM at XXXX. Spoke with XXXX in escalations hoping to have correction before XXXX schedule closing time. Mr. XXXX sent the Final Disclosure and we reviewed for accuracy. Again noted several discrepancies ( homeowner insurance access and property taxes and an closing cost for an escrow account ) were noted on the form. Although approval of the escrow waiver was apparent and set up of the account had been removed, the loan was still assessed fees for home insurance and property taxes leading to an increase of the loan amount. The attorney advised I not sign until documents are corrected. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another closing disclosure ( via email from XXXX ), once again with noted discrepancies. The latest closing disclosure again includes an escrow account and now there are charges for a .15 % of loan amount ( for points ) despite my being approved for a rate extension ( notably 2.25 % as part of the original loan agreement ). I contacted Freedom Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX to alert of the discrepancies for correction. 

After a week of no response, I reach out to the lender on XX/XX/XXXX only to be disconnected after making contact with a representative in the escalations department. Following two additional calls, as an attempt to reconnect, I spoke with XXXX, Lead Escalations, ( XXXX ) XXXX who informed to expect a follow-up call within 24 hours as he investigated. The afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX, scheduling called to set up closing for XX/XX/XXXX. Currently corrected documents have not been received for review ; however, I was informed to expect the document 3 days prior to the scheduled closing. 

I know this is lengthy but I wanted to be through. I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my problem.

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