Consumer complaint received 2021-04-08
Company: Mr. Cooper Group Inc.
State: CA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I refinanced my home through a broker in XX/XX/XXXX. My loan did not require taxes and insurance to be escrowed, but I was given the choice to do so and did ask for escrow account. The mortgage was sold twice, finally landing with Nationstar DBA MrCooper, commencing XX/XX/XXXX. I set up an auto-payment for my mortgage in the amount of {$3300.00}, which included {$850.00} per month in escrow payments. On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed that Mr. Cooper had drawn my mortgage twice from the account, leaving me unable to timely pay my other expenses. I contacted them immediately and was first told that it didn't even happen and then told that nothing can be done for several business days. They had absolutely NO explanation for how/why they withdrew the amount twice. I asked XXXX XXXX to help and they eventually reversed one of the payments a few days later. Mr. Cooper never apologized and I ended up spending hours to correct their mistake. 
Next problem came simultaneously, as my property taxes were due on XX/XX/XXXX, so commencing XX/XX/XXXX, I began requesting that Mr. Cooper pay the taxes that were now overdue. First I was told that they must have been paid by the prior mortgage holder, but I confirmed that they were not paid and the entire escrow balance was transferred to Mr. Cooper. Then I was assured that the taxes would be paid by no later than XXXX XXXX. I continued calling and writing to them, and only received form responses that they will review the issue and get back to me. To date, no one has ever called me back from Mr. Cooper. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from customer service that all taxes have already been paid and there are no prior delinquencies, and if I wanted them to pay the property taxes, I needed to provide them proof that they had not been paid. I sent them copy of screen shot of their own website showing that the taxes were due on XX/XX/XXXX, that they remained outstanding, that nothing had been paid from my escrow account, as well as a screen shot of the XXXX XXXX County 's Tax Assessor 's website showing the outstanding balance that was due on XX/XX/XXXX and had not been paid. I received no response from Mr. Cooper to that email whatsoever. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an auto-generated email from Mr. Cooper that my property taxes had been paid and my escrow account showed the payment. As of today, XX/XX/XXXX, the XXXX County Tax assessors office does not show a payment being made and my taxes will be deemed delinquent in 4 days, with penalties levied. 
On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I wrote to Mr. Cooper that my loan did NOT require an escrow account and given their incredible incompetence and repeated mistakes, I requested that Mr. Cooper close the escrow account, refund me the balance, and I will handle my own payments. To date, all I have received is a form generated response that someone will contact me " soon. '' No one has contacted me and they have not released my escrow funds. Assuming they did actually pay the property taxes due on XX/XX/XXXX, then there are no payments due until the home insurance payment is due on XX/XX/XXXX and they should have no trouble releasing my escrow funds now. 
According to a report I read on XXXX, I understand that Nationstar was sued for and reached a settlement for {$91.00} million for mishandling mortgages and harming borrowers. I have already had to spend hours dealing with them over what should have been a simple monthly mortgage payment and bi-annual property tax payment and this was only within the very first month of their holding my mortgage. They changed their name, but their practices have remained exactly the same. Please help me get my money back from this very shady company.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation