Consumer complaint received 2017-09-21
Company: PHH Mortgage Services Corporation
State: PA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
This complaint is against XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX. I was discharged from a five year bankruptcy sometime in late XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. I began calling PHH Mortgage in XX/XX/XXXX to begin paying my mortgage through electronic transfer. I was told by PHH customer service representatives not to send any money until they sent me an invoice. I was also told by PHH that there would be no accumulation of payments. That when I received my billing statement, my monthly payment would begin at that time. I called PHH Mortgage several times per month and they kept switching me from one caseworker to another. Finally on XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with a PHH service rep named XXXX. I explained to her that I had been trying to pay my mortgage to them for months and in addition to her, I was told if I send in a payment, that the payment would be returned. Her only advice was to call my caseworker and I told her that I had been calling this and that caseworker but they will not return my call. I explained to her that after six months of trying to pay my mortgage, that I was getting frustrated because I could not get any straight answers from anyone concerning paying my mortgage. I explained to her that I was recently discharged from a five year bankruptcy and that I was also told that these passing months would not be accumulative and that my payments would begin the month that I receive an invoice for a one month payment and moving forward from that point. I continued to call PHH Mortgage and finally on XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with a PHH representative named XXXX who told me that I had not been paying my mortgage and I was being referred to collections. I explained my situation to XXXX and my conversations with other PHH representatives over a 7 month period and finally I told her that I was going to report their behavior to the Attorney General and Consumer Protection. Later that same day, I received a call from a lady named XXXX and I explained everything all over again to her. She told me to send my complaint and court order as a " Notice of Error '' to PHH Mortgage XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, Maryland XXXX. She also told me that I should call HUD for counseling. I again explained to her how beyond frustrated I was after going back and forth with PHH Mortgage for seven months. Sometime around XX/XX/XXXX, I received four collection - threat letters all on the same day stating that I owed a lot of money in back payments and that I should contact my new and third or fourth PHH caseworker XXXX XXXX. I finally got a chance to speak with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX after several calls and leaving messages. XXXX told me that if I could pay {$3600.00} by XX/XX/XXXX, I would be caught up and could resume my monthly payments. I explained to XXXX that a PHH Supervisor told me that when I received my bill it would be for one month and move forward from then. That there would not be an accumulation of back months. She explained to me that she did n't know anything about that and I asked her to read the narrations by the other reps I had been speaking to for eight months. Nonetheless, I agreed to pay the {$3600.00} but told her that I got paid on XX/XX/XXXX and could pay the amount then. She agreed and told me that there would be a {$17.00} processing fee so the total that I would have to pay was {$3700.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX several times to make the payment and she never returned my calls. I ended up speaking to four PHH reps that day named XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. XXXX told me that PHH would not accept my payment of {$3700.00} and that I needed to pay {$4400.00}. I explained again the agreement with XXXX but it did n't matter. I told them that I was going to get an attorney because this behavior is not fair and I believe unethical. I asked them were they trying to push me back into bankruptcy after I had worked hard for five years to get out. I was told basically to pay this money or I could lose my house. They would n't even agree to give me extra time to get the rest of the money. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with a person named XXXX in the PHH Loss and Mitigation Department, which is what he told me. He was not nice and when I asked him what I owed, he told me to contact the law firm representing PHH Mortgage ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX out of XXXX, Pennsylvania. The PHH lawyers had sent me a threat - foreclosure letter on XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I  contacted my newest caseworker named XXXX XXXX. I called XXXX XXXX many times and always receive the same voice-message that she is in training and to leave a message. The only problem is that you can not leave a message because the voice recorder says that her message box is full and will not take a message. On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the Neighborhood Housing Program, Action Housing, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Neighborhood Legal Services for support and advice. On XX/XX/XXXX, I met with a lawyer to discuss the legalities of my situation.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation