Consumer complaint received 2022-02-24
Company: CrossCountry Mortgage LLC
State: FL
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
We have a mortgage with CROSSCOUNTY MORTGAGE. This complaint is concerning their failure to apply payments to our account, failure to correctly calculate the amount of ad valorem taxes which directly affects our monthly payment by several hundred dollars and for refusing callback requests to address and resolve the issue. Also, if this issue is not resolved quickly, they will send negative credit reports. 
My Husband is a 100 % XXXX Veteran. When we refinanced our loan with CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, our first payment was due in XX/XX/XXXX, therefore our ad valorem taxes were not calculated on my husband 's XXXX, 90 % at the time. However we knew that for the next year ( XXXX ) our taxes would be correctly calculated and our monthly payment would be reduced. We are not talking about a small amount, we're talking in excess of {$600.00}. 
In preparation and to help speed the process, I contacted CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE around XXXX or XXXX of XXXX to inquire how to make sure our new payment would be calculated on the correct exemption status. I was advised by a customer service associate that they would need an estimated tax statement for XXXX. I advised them that according to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Collector 's Office, those statements would not be available until late XXXX but they could call that office to verify exemptions. I advised that person that I wanted to make sure because we were paying way more because no exemption status was noted at CROSSCOUNTY. She suggested I send documentation to their office to prove the exemptions. I mailed to them the application for the exemptions along with my Husband 's verification certificate from the VA and the confirmation of our exemption status from the Tax Collectors Office. I assumed this would be taken care of and our new mortgage payment in XXXX would reflect my Husband XXXX and exemption status. It did not! 
At the beginning of XXXX, we received the year end statement. It advised of the escrow overage refund ( {$6200.00} ) and the date the the escrow amount was mailed out. It DID NOT indicate that our exemption status had changed. I contacted CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE to inquire why the exemption status had not changed. They advised they never received the information I'd sent. I inquired again what information they needed. I was told to send proof of our exemption status ( 90 % XXXX ) at that time. I emailed to CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE the estimated tax statement for XXXX from XXXX XXXX Florida and my Husband 's VA XXXX certificate. This was emailed to them on XX/XX/XXXX. ( On a side note, I never did receive the escrow overage refund. After three weeks, I called to inquire, was told it was supposed to be dispersed on XX/XX/XXXX but wasn't. I asked why, was advised she didn't know but it would be mailed the next Friday, more on that later ). 
Again, I assumed this was being processed. When I received our mortgage payment for XX/XX/XXXX, our exemption status still had not been processed. Our mortgage payment was now more than {$200.00} more than the previous year ( due to insurance and tax increases ). I called customer service again on XX/XX/XXXX and inquired why no exemption updates. I was told they needed an estimated tax statement for XXXX. I advised that associate the statements for this year would not be available until late XXXX and advised her that I'd included the XXXX tax statement in the information I'd sent on XXXX. I don't recall exactly what excuse she made that time but I took this opportunity to ask about the escrow overage refund. I advised her I'd inquired the last time about it and what I was told, that it would go out the next Friday. Her response to that was " nobody told you that ... the only thing we would have told you was whether or not the check had been cashed ''. I was very upset, as I felt she was calling me a liar and asked to speak with a Supervisor. She advised me that " I am a Supervisor but I will transfer you ). I then spoke to " XXXX ''. She advised that yes, the refund was sent out. I expressed my concern that the previous " Supervisor '' didn't know this and had basically called me a liar. I then told her the original reason for my call, our exemption status, the many times I'd sent the information requested and asked her what was needed, same thing, estimated tax statement, same conversation, no update for XXXX until XXXX. I expressed to her I really did not want to keep sending in {$600.00} more a month while they figured how to correct my account. She advised me to send an amount that was less the taxes and they would apply that to the account. I confirmed with her this would not be a problem. She said it wouldn't be. Unfortunately it was a problem. We got a letter on XX/XX/XXXX advising they had not received a full payment so they would not be applying any of the funds. 
Here we go again. I called CROSSCOUNTY MORTGAGE on XX/XX/XXXX, asked what was needed, same conversation, different associate. I asked to speak to her Supervisor, someone who would take responsibility and get this taken care of. I was told they were all Supervisors. I asked to speak to HER Supervisor. She advised she'd send an email to her Supervisor for a callback. I received none. The next day, XX/XX/XXXX, I called the corporate office, was told they'd send a message for someone to call me back, received none. The next morning, XX/XX/XXXX, I called the corporate office again, was told they would send an email for a callback, same thing when I called again nearing end of business day, called again this morning, XX/XX/XXXX, no callback. 
At this point, I don't know where else to turn, so I am filing this complaint. CROSSCOUNTRY evidently expects me to continue to make a mortgage payment that are much higher than I'm suppose to make and be okay with it because they will refund the overage at the end of the year. I have a problem with the fact that their customers are not important enough to callback, that nobody wants to take responsibility and fix the problem. When I asked one of the " Supervisors '' when the tax exempt problem would be corrected if I didn't call in, her replied was " eventually ''. I was employed by a top three banking institution for many years before I retired, we would never be allowed to not respond to a customer request like this. And I also know, their calls are recorded. If someone goes back and listens to the call I made, they will see that what I was told to me is true. ( especially by " XXXX '' ). There is no way I would not make a payment on my mortgage, my home and my credit is too important to me. 
Thanks, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation