Consumer complaint received 2023-12-01
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: TX
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage
Sub-issue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbearance, short sale, deed-in-lieu, bankruptcy, or foreclosure

Complaint:
I am surviving spouse of 100 % permanently and totally XXXX XXXX who died from XXXX after 10 years. I quit my XXXX career to take care of him and our children during this time. I bought a home in 2021 and refinanced with IRRL from VA for XXXX interest rate. I was told by Freedom Mortgage for 1 year they would put COVID forbearance at the end of loan and I could resume previous payment when ready to come off. When the time came to end forbearance they said VA wouldn't let them which VA denied but said their was nothing they could do. Freedom Mortgage is charging me XXXX in fees for taking XXXX COVID forbearance which CARES Act states they can't do and during this time my property exemption went through and IRS sent me a check for XXXX from property taxes I had paid since I bought the home leaving XXXX for insurance. Freedom Mortgage wants me to pay that back too and refused to pay insurance so now the house isn't even insured. As a tax exempt property I don't have to have escrow with thousands of dollars sitting in it for taxes I don't even owe. They raised my mortgage from XXXX to XXXX and I only make XXXX a month of federally protected VA and SS benefits for my minor daughter and myself. I am currently working on getting license reinstated from the 10 years I stopped working to take care of my husband while he XXXX  from XXXX and our XXXX kids. I am searching for a company to do a forensic mortgage audit and a XXXX audit/report to track paperwork and follow any monies paid out throughout mortgage process. They all want XXXX upfront and am currently trying to get the money for that which CFPB states they aren't suppose to charge upfront fees but they all do. My XXXXXXXX XXXX renewal is on hold to learn everything I can about XXXX, consumer rights and foreclosure process. I know Freedom Mortgage is already pursued by CFPB for different violations. My mortgage should have decreased because of property exemption but doubled instead and ruined my credit so I may not even be able to rent an apartment not that I can even afford one now in XXXX, Texas with the sudden increase of people moving here. I was lied to and misled by about the forbearance and have literally lost all my hair from the stress of possibly being homeless and possibly not being able to get another XXXX  XXXX loan if this house is foreclosed on. I applied for Homeowners assistance Fund months ago but was denied because I missed the 5 day window they gave me in a missed email to update paperwork I had sent. They require a 30 day update every 30 days on all paperwork which wasn't disclosed in process of application so I didn't know. Funds have now run out as did the eligibility of XXXX allowing funds to be placed at back of loan like everyone else is still doing. I was not aware of that either when it ended. Any advice is greatly appreciated and thank you for your time.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation