Consumer complaint received 2018-04-14
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MN
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC)
Issue: Closing on a mortgage

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, Wells Fargo recorded a lien for $ XXXX, for our original HELOC. About 6 months later, our limit was raised to $ XXXX. The original lien for $ XXXX had never been removed. 
I am a XXXX person, and my condition has worsened in the last six months to the point that I am no longer safe in my current home. We put our house on the market, and took the first bid, so we could quickly get out of here, and move to a place that accommodates my limitations. 

On Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I was informed that a title search showed both the $ XXXX and the $ XXXX liens. Immediately I remembered what had happened, and contacted the Wells Fargo Equity Department, and explained the situation, and asked that the lien be removed so we can sell our home with a closing planned for XX/XX/XXXX. I was told that it needed to be researched, but that the request would be escalated because of the timeline. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX contacted the Equity Department of Wells Fargo asking for an update, and was told it was being worked on. 

On WednesdayXX/XX/XXXX, I called, and spoke with XXXX in the Equity Department, and he said that the request to remove the lien was at the highest level of urgency, and that I should have an answer yet that day. He gave me a case Service Call Request # XXXX, On Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX8, no action was taken to remove the lien. The title company escalated to request action from Wells Fargo. I received a call from someone, whose name I did not get, who was an executive from Wells Fargo. He asked what was going on, and what the problem was. I was told that he could not transfer me, as he called me, but instead gave me the number to the department to contact for the request to be escalated. 

On Thursday XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX and spoke with XXXX XXXX, an Executive Resolution Specialist in the Customer Care and Recovery Group of Wells Fargo. I explained that I was told to call that number by an executive, and to escalate the case. Most everything I said was questioned. " You said you have been working on it for a week, but you called yesterday. '' I explained that I did not get the name of the person whom I originally spoke with on XX/XX/XXXX, as I expected they would do what they said that they would do. I was asked, " You said you escalated to our department, but there is no XXXX here. '' I explained that someone " an executive '' had called me and gave me the number to his department. And, that XXXX was the third person I had spoken with in the Equity Department. ( It should be noted that I am XXXX from an injury that damaged all the XXXX in my XXXX  XXXX and I live in constant severe pain, and have learned to adapt to my limitations. One of the problems with having so much pain is short term XXXX  XXXX. So, as I type 100 WPM, I type conversations so I can return to them for review to help me remember. ) There came a point in the conversation when I felt I was being made fun of because I couldn't remember the word " equity ''. When I get agitated/angry, my pain level increases significantly, and I 'forget ' words. I became angry and started yelling and cursing. I have not done that to anyone in over 20 years. I felt my inability to remember the word equity, was being mocked. I told him I couldn't remember the word, and asked what is the department name that has our loan. He said nothing. I asked him to help me figure out the word. He said nothing. My husband heard the entire call and was extremely angry, and reminded me the word was equity for the Equity Department. XXXX requested a copy of the lien from XXXX XXXX XXXX, and that if XXXX XXXX called him, he would work with here to get it resolved. 

XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX had sent a copy of the proof of the lien to XXXX, and did not receive a call back, and could not talk to him when she called. On Friday XX/XX/XXXX I could not reach XXXX, and spoke with XXXX XXXX, telling her that I did not want to speak with XXXX, and asking her if she could fax the lien release to XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX was very professional and helpful. There seemed to be a problem with the fax machine, so XXXX emailed the proof of the lien to her. XXXX told me that the case had been assigned to XXXX and that I needed to follow up with him. 

On Friday,XX/XX/XXXX, my husband, XXXX XXXX, called and spoke with XXXX asking for an update. Which was waiting for the research to be done. My husband told XXXX that he had heard the discussion, and that he did not appreciate how he had treated me. My husband stated that he would 'allow ' XXXX XXXX speak with me, but he had better do so with the utmost respect. XXXX apologized that he did not provide the level of customer service that had been expected. 

On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with XXXX. He explained that he had escalated the request. XXXX said it was too bad that the request had not been escalated earlier. He was also apologetic, and gave the impression that he was trying to help. 

On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, the day we should have closed on our home, and bought our new home and move in, I left a voicemail on XXXX 's phone expressing my sadness about the situation, and that I was concerned I was going to lose the ability to purchase the home we are moving to. My condition has worsened over the last six months, and I am no longer safe to be alone in my home. We had to move to accommodate my limitations. 

I have spoken with XXXX every day this week. He has been professional and courteous the entire week. On Tuesday,XX/XX/XXXX, research determined that the lien needed to be removed. XXXX wrote a letter to us and to the title company stating that the lien was going to be removed. 

Because so much time had past since the buyer 's title company had told us of the lien, and prior problems with Wells Fargo and lien release requests being done incorrectly, they asked for a copy of the lien release request, to verify that it was correct. They expressed their suspicion that a request to remove the lien had not been done. 

From XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and I requested a copy of the lien. 

On Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX I called and tried to reach XXXX, but he was not available, so I asked to speak with his boss, XXXX XXXX. I spoke with XXXX, and was told that it was not possible to get a copy of the submitted lien, and that it had been submitted electronically. As a former XXXX expert, I knew that this was not true. an original and/or copy would be filed for Wells Fargo 's records. And, anything sent electronically would have an original 'copy ' of the request, and that it could be sent by email, fax, or printed and scanned or mailed. 

On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX I again spoke with XXXX XXXX and was told that we would just have to wait for the lien release to be recorded. 

On Friday XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX called me and stated that he checked and that it wasn't possible to get a copy of the submitted lien releases. I explained to him how and why that was not true. I also stated my frustration that Wells Fargo did not act in a timely manner to being notified of their mistake. XXXX was courteous, apologized, and stated that he had tried to call Hennepin County for a status, and could only leave a voicemail. I explained that the volume of people, banks and title companies the county serves is extremely high, and they are really too busy processing to spend time on the phone. XXXX said he would check the status every hour, and let me know when it was recorded even before letting the title company know. It was a nice albeit worthless gesture. 

As it was the end of the day, and the lien had not been released, the title companies agreed to set a closing date for Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX to givre XXXX County time to record the lien, and allow time to request additional information, or actions required by Wells Fargo. The lien was recorded at XXXX CST. I called trying to reach XXXX, XXXX, or anyone else in the department to whom I had spoken, but nobody was available at XXXX in California . 

I have gone above and beyond what any loyal customer should have done. I do not want to pay for the additional fees the buyer has incurred because of Wells Fargo 's mistake, and slow response. 

I wrote an email to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and his boss, XXXX XXXX with the facts as listed here. Our buyers have incurred {$1300.00} because of it being passed the planned closing. They had to relock their interest rate as part of the cost listed. They are asking us to pay it, so we can close, as planned on XX/XX/XXXX.

I want Wells Fargo to pay for the buyer 's additional fees. I have asked for this in the email I sent, but I am sure I will not receive any money. 

I also want Wells Fargo to pay for the additional costs we have incurred due to the closing being delayed. Primary home mortgage interest of {$400.00} ( {$50.00} for 8 days - the original mortgage pay off was throughXX/XX/10 ). {$23.00} for the HELOC. ( XXXX for 9 days ). And the additional {$400.00} for the additional monthly charge for storing our stuff. The total for these additional costs come to {$830.00}. In a court of law I would ask for more money to punish them for the pain and suffering we endured, and for humiliating/belittling a XXXX person.

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 monetary relief