Consumer complaint received 2021-10-15
Company: PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
State: NJ
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX - original foreclosure sheriff sale date *Moratorium* XX/XX/XXXX - rescheduled sheriff sale date Personal attempts to prepare house for sale for full market value Multiple conversations & emails with bank to keep them apprised of my intentions Delays due to COVID, personal XXXX ( XXXX surgeries ) and now XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX - call to XXXX XXXX , Provident bank Foreclosure Specialist Spoke in detail about XXXX XXXX damage and next steps He confirmed I could apply for an extension of the sheriff sale to provide time for repairs needed to properly list home XXXX referred me to escrow Dept regarding flood insurance forced plan that Provident secured I was transferred to several people and was finally assigned a contact by the name of XXXX XXXX to file the claim on my behalf. 
XXXX has made it clear after several requests for her to file a claim on my behalf that it would be at the will of Provident bank to determine how and when a claim would be filed and how and when subsequent repairs would be handled. 
XXXX refused to disclose the name of the insurance carrier and the policy number. XXXX also stated that XXXX is the insured. 
*Note : as homeowner and name on deed, my name must be on all policies as is the name of the institution ( s ) holding liens on the property, which is currently only XXXX XXXX and Provident Bank, respectively Simultaneously, I filed a claim with both my homewoners & my automobile insurances regarding the damages. I also submitted a claim with FEMA as soon as my town was added to the list for the State of Emergency declaration. 
I began removal of all items in preparation for appraisers and adjustors to assess the damages ( I had 4.5 feet of water submerging all appliances and all contents of the basement - pictures available upon request ) XXXX arrived to our neighborhood to pump water out of all the gas lines to each home and subsequently deemed ALL gas and electric appliances as " violations '' due to the extensive water exposure. This mandates all appliances must be replaced. 
I received quotes for my water heater and boiler to be replaced by XXXX and I mitigated any moisture by opening all windows, back door, installing a floor fan and a dehumidifier. Due to the inevitable exposure to moisture, mold was a continued concern so I have had my back door open for six weeks ... And continuing, which is exposing my home to the possibility of other issues, including theft or vermin. 

The basement is now empty of contents except for the three attached items required to be replaced by a licensed contractor ( boiler, water heater and toilet ) Due to the extent of the water damage, there are two wooden/sheetrock enclosures ( one for a bathroom and one for a storage room ) that need to be removed. There is visible mold on the floor and on the walls- I mitigated it as best as I could based on research through FEMA and OEM. 

Obviously, I am concerned about the exposure to mold for me and my family. 
I am also now 6 weeks without hot water or heat ( and the temperatures are steadily dropping ). 

I can not properly list my house, as no buyer would be able to receive a C.O.O. 

After escalating the issue to XXXX XXXX direct supervisor, I received a call within 5 days from a 3rd party appraiser to schedule a walk-through for damage assessment. 
This walk-through took place on XXXX ; the appraiser advised that his report will be filed within 7 days to the insurance company. 
I requested ID from XXXX as he arrived for the appointment and he presented to me the Certificate of Insurance. I asked permission to take a picture of this document. He agreed. Through this document I was now aware of the carrier and policy number ( XXXX - XXXX ) certificate # ( XXXX ) The policy is underwritten by XXXX XXXX, a subsidiary of Provident Bank. 
After a week I was able to secure contact with the agent, XXXX XXXX, XXXX is handling this claim, who has confirmed a claim number ( # XXXX ) which was just filed four weeks after the date of the storm. 
XXXX immediate followed up with XXXX, the 3rd party appraiser and the claims representative and reported back to me within 24 hours that he would be following up to ensure all documents are sent/received. Of course, it was stated & understood, due to the magnitude of this disaster, all normal response times are extended with unknown time for execution. 

After thanking XXXX For the the immediate follow-up, I reiterated my situation. As follows : I am now at a stand still * I am Living in unacceptable conditions * I can not repair the property without Insurance direction * FEMA requires a denial letter from the insurance plan for the " contents loss '' as they are not covered under the forced plan * House is currently unsellable/unlivable die to the lack of proper amenities * Extension for the sheriff sale date will expire and I will not be able to have the house listed before then due to these circumstances. 

I am requesting IMMEDIATE postponement of the sheriff sale in order to properly repair and list the home for market sale on XXXX. 

I am requesting IMMEDIATE authorization to proceed with necessary repairs and remediation to live safely in my own home AND properly list the house for market sale. 

This market is optimal for selling and the turnaround will not be long before the defaulted mortgage is resolved, however, due to an unfortunate string of events, I am not able to execute the necessary steps in the current timelines. 

Please advise of any information that I can provide to assist in this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation