Consumer complaint received 2018-06-01
Company: Caliber Home Loans, Inc.
State: WA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I received the following notice via email that I am going to be charged a " transactional fee '' to make an online payment. Please note that Caliber Home Loans had previously " suggested '' that I opt out of receiving paper notices. This seemed reasonable, as my info is all online anyways. Plus I knew that it would save the bank processing fees, and this seemed like the " right thing to do ''. 

So now they want to repay my consideration for their cost of doing business by charging an absurd additional processing fee? 

I have always made this payment on time, between the five-days period two days prior to 2-3 days after the first of the month ( probably 90 % of the time on the first day of the month ) ; I've never had to pay a penalty. 

In the recent email, the company states that if I wish to pay with a check via mail, I can avoid the fee. 

( I suppose the purpose of that is running the risk of checks getting " lost '' in the mail, so they could charge late fees? ) How could the cost to the bank of hiring and paying someone to process paper checks sent through the mail possibly be less the automatic processing of online payments? - There's no point in trying to answer that question. It's impossible to add human agency to a financial transaction at less cost than an automated online payment. Period. 

This fee is a sophisticated scam by a grasping bank manager to bilk honest mortgage payers, pure and simple. The sole intent and purpose is to add an additional amount to the payment of my FHA loan : paying a fee to make a payment! 

Shame on Caliber Home Loans. 

I will also be writing to my congress-person. 
: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Email from Caliber Home Loans -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Were writing to inform you of a change which may affect monthly payments made to Caliber Home Loans , Inc . 

Beginning XX/XX/2018, each one-time loan payment online or through the Caliber Home Loans mobile app will be assessed a {$3.00} transactional charge. However, theres an easy way to avoid paying this monthly charge ... and its also a time saver! 

Choose recurring loan payments and skip the fees Also known as automatic payments, our recurring loan payments enable you to set and forget this monthly task. You can set up recurring payments with your Caliber Home Loans mobile app, or by logging into your account at caliberhomeloans.com. 
As always, you may continue to pay by mail without charge by sending your payment to Caliber Home Loans , Inc., XXXX. XXXX XXXX, XXXX, TX XXXX, or for overnight delivery, send to Caliber Home Loans, Inc. Attn : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX TX XXXX. 

You may also make your payment 24/7 using Calibers automated attendant at XXXX. Transactional charges may apply. Visit Fees & Fee Descriptions for more information. 

Thank you for being a valued Caliber customer! 

Caliber Home Loans Copyright XX/XX/2018 Caliber Home Loans, Inc., XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, TX XXXX ( NMLS # XXXX ). XXXX. All Rights Reserved. Equal Housing Lender.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation