Consumer complaint received 2022-01-16
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: MI
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
Coronavirus pandemic : I entered into Covid assistance forbearance plan w my federally backed loan on XX/XX/XXXX. I had this in place until end of XXXX, XXXX, = 6 mo. I was able to resume payments XX/XX/XXXX. 
Side note : in XXXX I got vaccinated, ( XXXX a XXXX XXXX, doing homecare treating recovering Covid Pos patients ). My spouse and my XXXX yr old got vaccinated. No problems there. But in XXXX, I did get XXXX XXXX my spouse got XXXX XXXX and my XXXX yr old XXXX got XXXX. Hmmmm.. well bummer, it was like a domino effect.. I HAD TO be off from work for 10 days, my spouse was off from work for around 14 days ( hes not a health care worker, so his work isnt as up to date on the XXXX rules like my place, so they made him take extra time off.. they went by the date of his Positive test, not his onset of symptoms, which is actually the correct way to start counting the 10 day time out ). 
Either way, we got put behind on our mortgage.. Im the primary breadwinner, so managing myself, our daughter, and my sick spouse put everything behind. 
I immediately contacted XXXX mortgage, my housing lender and I requested the months of XXXX, XXXX, and possibly XX/XX/XXXX, reprieve because essentially my household was off track at a minimum of XXXX month. I was informed by a customer service XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX that I was approved for a XXXX 3 month extension. 
One week later, I was contacted by XXXX again, some other customer service rep stating I was Not eligible for XXXX additional months because I had already Used 18 months of their forbearance program??!! 
What? I only used 6 months in XXXX. 
After 5-6 very upsetting ph calls to XXXX customer service reps, I was informed that unbeknownst to me : I was continually enrolled in the forbearance program, despite the fact that I started paying in XX/XX/XXXX. So, I basically USED UP ALL MY FORBEARANCE TIME- despite never even knowing that I was enrolled in a program that I wasnt even using. So, I was told, the maximum allowed months that can be used is= 18 months.. which unfortunately expired XX/XX/XXXX, so me asking for assistance in XX/XX/XXXX, was a no go, because 18 months had expired, even tho I only USED 6 months of forbearance total. Ughhhh.. beyond frustrating, and several customer service reps put me on hold to ask their managers, And this is the same story I was told. Hmmmm, makes absolutely no sense to me. 
I specifically spoke to a 5/3rd rep back when I began to repay the mortgage in XXXX XXXX, and I agreed that : yes, obviously the forbearance period was over.. because thats the reason I began paying again. Why in the world would I still be enrolled in a forbearance monthly program, that I wasnt even using??? 
The 2 current customer service reps both stated they didnt understand either maybe their understanding isnt correct. Shouldnt an individual have a TOTAL of 18 months ALLOWABLE time to use forbearance? Even if its 6 mo. In XXXX, and 1-3 months in XXXX equals only 9 months forbearance used. Save 9 months that payments are being currently made. 

Exhausting, totally. I was told to fill out the hardship packet : which we did and emailed to the hardship email at 5/3rd on XX/XX/XXXX. I got 1 ph call back immediately, and was excited that they were reviewing my info. And seeing how ridiculous this whole program is. I was told by 2 customer service reps on XX/XX/XXXX that it would take 7-10 business days to get a call back. Add 10 days we r into XXXX, so I knew everyone was off. Still no call from their Hardship office, but, of course I got 6-7 hard copy letters that we were now Delinquent!!! Of course, why not?!!! 
So, I called customer service hardship line back, and was told that yes the first 2 pages of my 30 pg request they did Receive, but nothing else. Why I asked, more frustrated than ever. Oh, thats because that email address has been broken now for many, many days..nervous laughter from that poor gal, sounded like she was the only one in that department. Oh my head!!! Wow!! This is my financial institution? The one that holds the lease on my life?? Wow, wow! How dismayed I was. 
XXXX XXXX, she gave me her personal email, and direct phone line.. and we emailed the XXXX pages again to her. 

This is where it stands right now, and Im still now behind by a minimum of 2 months at least, and still Not sure if theres any XXXX relief for my mortgage, even after doing everything right. Asking for help right away in XXXX, starting repayment in XXXX, getting vaccinated, supporting my entire family while being a frontline worker and literally exposing myself everyday treating actively positive XXXX patients in their homes, going home and stripping my clothes off and running into my shower so as to not expose my family to XXXX when it all started in XXXX. 

Andddd this is the help I get? Huh. 
If this statement can be reviewed by a knowledgeable person who can see how this 18 month program thingy does not make sense ; Id gladly appreciate your insight into it. Or- at least a little reprieve of some sort for my pain and suffering. Ha. Im only asking for 2-3 months of assistance right now. Anyone out there to help? 
Thanks for listening

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation