Consumer complaint received 2020-07-13
Company: Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc.
State: IL
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to assert that I believe the {$150.00} fee imposed with the application for the XXXX XXXX/Dovenmuehle Budget Drafting Form to be improper servicing behavior in the housing market. 

I request that the {$150.00} fee associated with the application for the XXXX XXXX/Dovenmuehle Budget Drafting Form be waived. In an era of mortgage companies continually asking customers if they are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the global pandemic, it seems that this is a reasonable gesture of good faith. As described in this article from XXXX, I would like to use both bi-weekly payments and additional payment toward principal to save money on interest : " A bi-weekly payment plan is far more effective than merely sending one additional payment per year, '' says XXXX XXXX, a realtor and mortgage broker in XXXX XXXX, Calif. " Your loan balance accrues interest every day and reducing that principal balance every 14 days ( 26 half payments per year ) saves more in interest charges than one full additional payment every 12 months, even though the total amount in payments every year remains the same. '' This set-up fee is unjustified profit, and I do not wish to pay it. XXXX XXXX/Dovenmuehle is set to earn approximately {$58000.00} from us over the course of the next 15 years and they will not incur {$150.00} of expense to set up a direct deposit from my checking account. This is a relatively small amount of money, and with mortgage delinquencies anticipated to reach all-time highs as a result of the pandemic, I expect that the institution is eager to ensure that customer payments are made on time. 

I am aware that I gave consent during the refinance for our loan to be sold to another institution to service our mortgage loan, so I do not have a choice in the matter. However, it is my conclusion that this fee is unnecessary and unscrupulous. 

It was my hope that XXXX XXXX/Dovenmuehle would make an exception and waive the {$150.00} fee so that we may participate in the program. When I contacted XXXX XXXX/Dovenmuehle by phone on XX/XX/2020, the customer service representative escalated my call to a supervisor named XXXX. XXXX directed me to address my concern in writing and send it via email to : XXXX which I did later that day, while also including my loan number, and indicating Attention Research Department in the subject line. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter in the U.S. Mail from the Research Department on XXXX XXXX   letterhead. The letter indicated that they had received my inquiry and had referred it to the appropriate area for review. 

Today, when calling to inquire about my property taxes having not been paid from my fully funded escrow account, I asked the customer service representative about my past written inquiry. The representative, XXXX, informed me that as she reviewed my account, my inquiry was being considered Not a valid request and that I should not expect a response at all. 

At the end of the call, I anticipated being able to provide feedback regarding my experience in a short survey, as I had been invited to do according to the automated message I heard while I was on hold. After I finished my conversation with the representative XXXX, a new message saying " I'm sorry, we regret that we can not include your feedback today. Goodbye. '' Thank you for your assistance with reviewing the legitimacy of this fee being charged by XXXX XXXX/Dovenmuehle. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation