Consumer complaint received 2019-08-01
Company: SUNTRUST BANKS, INC.
State: MD
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Fee problem

Complaint:
In XXXX of XXXX  Suntrust bank made on-line system changes the merged their Mortgage accounts into the same on-line portal that is used for checking account. Starting in XX/XX/XXXX when I took out my mortgage with Suntrust I was eligible to have my checking account fee waived so long as I maintained a minmum daily balance of all combined accounts of {$25000.00}. My mortgage account had well more than that averge daily balance. IN XXXX, XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, after never having been charged a fee I was charged {$25.00} maintance fees for my checking account. ON our about XX/XX/XXXX I spoke with a representative at Suntrust, who said that the fee was charged in error, that because of the system change my account was not properly linked. I was never notified by mail or electronically of this system change or that any action was required to ensure the fee would not be charged. I was refunded the {$25.00} fee and the representative linked my account. 

In XXXX and XXXX I was again charged the {$25.00} maintenance fee for my checking account. On XX/XX/XXXX I again contacted Suntrust, this time the story changed. I was informed by the representative that ones mortgage account no longer could count towards the {$25000.00} minimum balance fee waiver for signature checking accounts. The representative could not identify when this change occurred or explain why if that was the case I had been receiving a fee waiver for four years. I was refunded ( after a little back and forth and being elevated to a supervisor ) the additional fees I was charged. The supervisor also informed me they do annual checks of all accounts to ensure proper fees are being charged and perhaps in XXXX, which would have been an annual anniversary they saw I was not being charged the fee I should have been. To the extent I had been receiving the fee waiver by accident, at the very least Suntrust should have to notify me of that fact and tell me actions I could take to avoid the fee. I have looked back through my correspondence, which I receive all electronically, and I do not have any notification at anytime over the past four years and certainly not in the past four months when these fees were being charged, that my account was no longer eligible for the fee waiver. The supervisor said that there should have bene a note on my monthly statement. There was no note indicating that there has been a change to my fee waiver status. And perhaps even more disturbing when I commented to the agent that even if there was a note this is the type of thing that should not be buried on a statement as I don't always check them since I review everything via the on-line portal. She agreed and admitted she never actually reads her statements. 

In light of the XXXX XXXX XXXX merger with Suntrust this behavior by Suntrust is very concerning and if this has happened to me I can only imagine the same must have happened to others.

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