Consumer complaint received 2021-01-22
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: IN
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, we began a VA streamlined refinance progress with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX at Wells Fargo. We did all of the preliminary information submissions and arrived at terms that we liked and decided to move forward with the loan. On XXXX XXXX I=my wife asked about a line on a VA form that said that we could add {$6000.00} to our mortgage for energy-efficient upgrades. We originally planned on using the funds for solar panels. On XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX confirmed with my wife that they would be able to add the {$6000.00}, but was unclear on the documentation that they would need. On XX/XX/XXXX as the result of our furnace going out, we changed the focus of the money and emailed XXXX XXXX to see if we could use the money for a new furnace and what if anything we needed to do to make that happen. He stated that we could use the money any way we wanted to and that they didn't need any documentation. He also stated that we should expect to close in XXXX. 
We made sure to get the high-efficiency furnace and AC costing approximately {$8500.00}. Because we had the expectation of receiving the $ XXXX in XXXX we put $ XXXX on a credit card that has about a 22 % interest rate and the rest on a card that has 0 % interest until XX/XX/XXXX assuming we could figure out the rest by then. We could have financed it with the furnace company with favorable terms, but had the guarantee of the refinance so we did not do that. 
Our closing date was not set until XX/XX/XXXX. About a week before that we were sent the closing documents to sign ( especially my wife because she is an owner of the home, but is not on the loan ). The first documents did not have the $ XXXX on them, we called attention to it and they fixed the documents and resent them with the $ XXXX on them. We signed and returned it to the company on XX/XX/XXXX. 
We arrived at our XXXX XXXX closing on XX/XX/XXXX, and the closer said that we would be getting back about {$6.00}. Not {$6000.00}, but {$6.00}. We explained that that was corrected, but she said those were the documents that she received. We called XXXX XXXX and after a few minutes he told us that the $ XXXX was only available for new buyers and they missed that. We googled and found an article that seemed to say differently, we sent that to XXXX XXXX and called the VA help center. 
We talked to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX opt XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) at the VA help center and he confirmed that we did qualify for the $ XXXX. We got XXXX XXXX on the line with us and then XXXX XXXX said that the title company was saying that we couldn't get the money back. XXXX XXXX pointed out the exact forms that needed to be filled out and the language in the VA codes that authorized us to get the money. XXXX XXXX said that he would keep working on it. 
I'm not sure if it was later that day or the next day, but XXXX XXXX called back and said that it turns out that Wells Fargo just chooses not to allow the extra $ XXXX. He said that they stopped doing it years ago. We asked why they didn't figure this out when we first asked about it and he said he didn't know. He also said that he didn't know why it was still on their disclosure forms. We explained that we have had our mortgage with Wells Fargo since XXXX with I don't believe one late or missed payment and that we've been working on this since XXXX and that we didn't think it was fair or good customer service to just say oh well we don't want to. He said that he understood. We asked to speak with his manager and he asked me to give him time to talk with him. We said okay and asked him to have him call my wife, but also got his number. We never heard from him ( XXXX at XXXX ). My wife called and left a message on XXXX XXXX and never received a return call. 
The other people we worked with at Wells Fargo were XXXX XXXX, Mortgage Processor ( SAFE ), XXXX XXXX ext XXXX, XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX, Home Mortgage Closer ( LO ), XXXX XXXX Ext. XXXX, XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX at the VA center, who has been super kind and helpful, said that unfortunately they can't make the bank do what they are supposed to do, but he gave our information to his boss who talked to his contact at Wells Fargo. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX said that his boss ' contact was told that Wells Fargo was looking for a " good solution '', but we haven't heard anything since.

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