Consumer complaint received 2022-12-05
Company: AMERIS BANCORP
State: FL
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
Covid caused a hardship for us and we applied for forbearance with our lender Ameris Bank. We were in forbearance from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. 

This complaint involves my Lender Ameris Bank and the Florida XXXX  who is handling the HAF program here in Florida. 

We resumed making our monthly mortgage payments of {$1000.00} after 13 months in forbearance. We started up the mortgage payments again in XX/XX/XXXX. It took a year for the lender to make adjustments to acknowledge our payments, they were going into suspense. Then finally in XXXX of XXXX the amount of forbearance was put into a deferred balance of {$13000.00}. 

In XXXX of XXXX I applied for mortgage assistance ( HAF ) here in Florida through the XXXX  after learning of the program. We qualified and letters were sent stating we were approved on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Here 's my timeline of events : XX/XX/XXXX I received letters ( see attached ) from Florida XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX regarding two awards for Mortgage Assistance with the HAF program. XXXX letter is for {$15000.00} to pay my deferred balance and the other is for XXXX installments of {$1100.00}. 

XX/XX/XXXX I reached our to my loan servicer for Ameris Bank to put them on notice of the mortgage assistance and sent them copies of the same attachments. They were not aware yet of these grants, my mortgage was still in loss mitigation even though I had been making regular payments for over a year. 

The HAF program leaves it up to the grantee to watch for when payments are being made in your behalf. They do not tell me when payments are being made. 

XX/XX/XXXX - called the lender to see if they received any HAF funds, none yet according the Ameris Bank although the HAF program told me payments are being sent out. The XXXX of Florida says they use a third party vendor to process payments and can not give me dates or check numbers. I was told they mail payments to the address on the mortgage statement. We made the XX/XX/XXXX mortgage payment on our own. 

XX/XX/XXXX - called lender, no payments received from HAF, again we made the XXXX payment on our own. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Each month I was calling HAF XXXX to inquire if payments are being made, they tell me yes although I can not obtain proof of payment from them. I called Ameris Bank and spoke with XXXX and she tells me to have HAF call and confirm with dates and check numbers etc. 

On the same day, HAF says to have Ameris Bank call them to confirm payments are being sent. Both agencies say they do not make any outbound calls to verify anything. So I'm the one left trying to figure out what to do. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX and talked with XXXX to confirm the loan number and address payments are being sent to. They matched with my mortgage statement. On this same day I wrote a email to Ameris Bank expressing my concerns and asking for additional research to be done and try to find these funds being sent to them in my behalf. I've asked for a supervisor several times and they are never available and never call back as promised. 

XX/XX/XXXX after calling Ameris Bank again, they tell me no HAF payments are being received. I called back to HAF and spoke with XXXX, she said she would put in a ticket to escalate my claim of non-payment to their research department and they would get back to me. I never heard back from HAF. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called Ameris Bank and spoke to XXXX in Loss Mitigation. We confirmed some HAF payments have been received. All along I have been making my regular monthly payment also. 

XX/XX/XXXX {$1100.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$1100.00} I suspect these were payments I sent in for XXXX and XXXX. However several payments got posted to my account in XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX {$1100.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$1100.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$1100.00} XX/XX/XXXX I called back to HAF XXXX and spoke to XXXX, I ask why I have not heard from their research department about the missing payments. She told me they tried to call me on XX/XX/XXXX and I did not answer. They did not leave a voice mail. She also told me at least XXXX payments have been made to Ameris Bank on my behalf. So I asked her again to submit to their research department and requested something in writing as an answer. I did mention the lender is now starting to receive the monthly payments of {$1100.00} which is what my award letter is for. However the {$15000.00} is still unaccounted for. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called Ameris Bank again talked with XXXX in the escrow department, we confirmed I was now paid up 3 months in advance. Also my escrow was being adjusted and beginning in XX/XX/XXXX my monthly payment would go to {$1200.00} because of escrow shortage. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX again and spoke with XXXX, the {$15000.00} check has not arrived. I asked for a supervisor, again they were not available and no call back as promised. I told her I suspect fraud or something. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called HAF and spoke with XXXX, she told me the {$15000.00} has been sent. Of course she could not give me a date or check number. I asked her to please escalate to research again and told her I've asked 3 times to have these lost payments researched and never get a reply. I've written two emails to HAF asking for help. 

I then called Ameris Bank and spoke to XXXX in Loss Mitigation. He says the last payment received from HAF was on XX/XX/XXXX for {$1100.00}. No payment yet for XXXX and they have not received the {$15000.00}. 

He confirmed my next payment is due XX/XX/XXXX. 

Please help me get resolution. I have tried everything I can to track down the monthly payments ( which seem to be getting sent in now ) and the large sum of {$15000.00}. 

Somewhere there is an answer, I just feel like I'm running in place and can not get anywhere either with HAF or Ameris Bank. 

Thank you

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation