Consumer complaint received 2018-06-04
Company: Stearns Ventures, LLC
State: SC
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
To whom it may concern ; Today, ( XX/XX/XXXX ) marks the second month to the day that Stearns Lending was contacted to make a mortgage payment on my behalf. On that day, XXXX XXXX Representative XXXX took the information to make an online mortgage payment, ( along with an extra payment towards the loan principal ), and supplied me with confirmation number # XXXX. 

She ( XXXX ), went on to inform that the payment would be transferred to the new mortgage company that was taking over on XX/XX/XXXX. The transaction could take up to 60 days without any penalty or fees to the consumer is what was stated. 

After being contacted by the new mortgage loan company regarding the missing XXXX payment ; multiple calls were unsuccessfully made to XXXX at ph # s ( XXXX ) XXXX and ( XXXX ) XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the new mortgage loan company called once again regarding the missing XXXX payment, and asked that I obtain an ACH #. I advised of the difficulty reaching Stearns Lending by telephone, and asked they please contact Stearns and transfer the call. XXXX ( from the new mortgage company ) was gracious enough to oblige. 

XXXX, a representative of XXXX answered and read the notes, stating Loan transferred, payment did not go through. 
XXXX further explained that his notes stated on XX/XX/XXXX the payment was cancelled and the customer is to be notified. 

I am the customer, and I was never notified prior to this very moment! How is that possible? I have a confirmation number that the payment was received by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX then stated XX/XX/XXXX, you were sent a goodbye letter. 

Yes, ... I was also told that the payment could take up to 60 days for the new company to receive the funds. When was I, the customer going to be notified? I need something in writing stating that the payment was canceled, so as to not have double funds deducted from my account. 

I then asked to speak with a supervisor. 

Supervisor XXXX, also confirmed that the payment was deleted and should not have been taken by the representative. On XX/XX/XXXX, the system shows the payment was deleted I once again asked XXXX for a letter stating that the payment that was made on XX/XX/XXXX, to which I have a confirmation number for, was deleted. 

XXXX stated she would be very happy to supply me with a payment history. 

The payment history was of course was missing the XX/XX/XXXX payment, and there was no mention of the payment being cancelled, nor deleted. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, an email was sent to Stearns Lending. On that same day XXXX XXXX, of Stearns contacted me, and assured me that she would speak to the Compliance Department and have a letter drafted in reference to cancellation of the payment. XXXX . XXXX stated that she would contact me back within 24-48hrs. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after receiving a letter from the new mortgage company regarding late payment, I contacted the new mortgage company to advise that payment was supposedly cancelled on XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke with XXXX # XXXX and informed him that I was waiting for letter from Stearns to confirm that payment was actually cancelled. He advised to shorten wait time, to have Stearns representative to fax directly to new company, and email to email given. 

XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX, I telephoned XXXX ( XXXX ) to remind her that she had promised a letter four days prior. She advised that she received letter at XXXX, and could email it to me. 

I asked it be faxed to new company, yet she instructed that she would email to me. 

The letter was received via email, yet does not mention the cancellation of the confirmed payment. 

A telephone call was received from XXXX # XXXX, representative of the new mortgage loan company, on XX/XX/XXXX, regarding XXXX payment. 

It has been a total of 60 days, without formally being notified of the XXXX payment being deleted!

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