Consumer complaint received 2019-01-24
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: KY
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
We took out our Mortgage through XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. It was then sold to Freedom Mortgage. We have always made our payments on time and early whenever possible, and have paid more than our payment whenever possible. Equally dividing the extra we have paid between our principle amount and our escrow account to make sure that the account had plenty of funds available for our taxes and insurance. In XX/XX/XXXX we received a check for over four hundred dollars. In addition, we received a letter from Freedom Mortgage stating that our payment had been adjusted down from {$460.00} to {$430.00}. We promptly contacted Freedom Mortgage to insure that this wasnt some sort of mix up or computer error. We were told that no is was not an error and that they had done an audit and found that our taxes were lower than originally estimated, and that the check was the overage amount in our escrow account after the taxes, and insurance had been paid. We asked if we needed to return the amount to our escrow account to be safe and were told no that it would just be an overage that would be sent back to us the following year. We were also told that because our payment had been adjusted down but still did include funds for our escrow account to pay taxes and insurance that the money would just continue to flow back and forth because it was not need. Then around XX/XX/XXXX we received a notice saying that our escrow account was negative almost {$520.00} and were informed that we could either make a payment to our escrow account of {$520.00}, or that our payments would be increased to {$510.00} for the next twelve months, and if we paid the {$520.00} now our payment would still go up to {$460.00}. When I spoke with someone, they were very rude and told me there was nothing I could do but to pay it or let it be split over the next 12 months, and when I asked to speak with his supervisor he refused by telling me he couldn't transfer me due to his supervisor being busy. I said I would wait and he said that I wouldn't be allowed to wait. I hung up and immediately called back and spoke with someone else who went back and looked into why there was a change. Apparently they did a second audit on our escrow in XXXX and realized they messed up the first time. They tried to put me in touch with their team lead, but she was too busy, so we scheduled a call back. When she called back she did nothing but continue to tell me I had no other options but the initial 2 and that they did not make a mistake. She also told me that I should have taken the check they sent and put it back into my escrow account instead of spending it. And when I asked then why did they change my payment twice in a matter of 3 months, she told me they can not change my payment. I proceeded to ask her then why has it changed on my bill, and she replied that the escrow amount changed. I then asked to speak with her supervisor, who's name was XXXX XXXX. He started it off by also saying that I should've been told to put the escrow check back in the account. He proceeded to offer to spread out the escrow shortage over 24 months instead of 12.  When I told him that still didn't answer any questions, he proceeded to tell me I still had to pay the amount no matter what. I still don't understand why I am expected to pay for a mistake they made. If they had just left my payment at the XXXX this whole thing would have never happened. Please look into this, as to why their supposed policy demands that they mess up their customer life in an unfair manner.

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