Consumer complaint received 2015-06-03
Company: ASTORIA BANK
State: WA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional adjustable mortgage (ARM)
Issue: Credit decision / Underwriting

Complaint:
I am writing in the hope that you can assist me in my over yearlong effort to have XXXX XXXX unitsCoordinate to assist me. I thank you in advance for reading my letter. 

I have a mortgage from XXXX for my condominium in Florida, purchased in XX/XX/XXXX. Thiswas and remains my property and the one that I hope to retire in with my family. The loan was and remainsan interest only loan for {$460000.00} at a rate currently of 3.750 % Like so many other Floridians in the past few years, I faced financial difficulties which put me behind in mypayments for a number of months. Two years ago, I was able to resolve all issues with XXXX and fulfilledtheir conditions that allowed me to a ) avoid foreclosure and b ) achieve a good standing in Astoria 's eyes. Atthat time, they asked me to ensure continued timely payments, secured at 3.50 % rate until XX/XX/XXXX 
recently received the notice that the rate will increase onfrom {$1900.00} to {$2000.00}, with the rate increasing to 3.75 % and for interest only. 

My problem, and the reason I am writing to XXXX and now to you, is that for over a year, I have beenspeaking with their loss mitigation department and provided documentation to every document andquestion they asked. Please understand my frustration since after all this time, they tell me that do nothandle refinances - precisely what I have been asking for. As I have presented in the documentation, I havebeen able to better my financial standing significantly, both my reducing my debts while increasing myincome substantially. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I contacted the refinance department and spoke with XXXX XXXX XXXX, who was veryenthusiastic when taking my information and providing me information on your refinance programs, specifically of interest because as an Astoria customer I could avoid some or all closing cost. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXXXXXX, XXXX & lt ; XXXXXXXXXXXX & gt ; wrote : Hi, I need you to replyto the other email that I sent that has a subject line of " Rate lock '' XXXX XXXX XXXX NMLS # XXXX. 
XXXX Italics added XXXX. I did so and spoke with her the next day. She said she would call me back rightaway and after not hearing from her for a week, I called only to have her tell me that because I was workingwith the Loss Mitigation department, I would not be eligible to refinance with Astoria. 

When I spoke again with the Loss Mitigation department, they explained that they only handledmodifications on the current loan but that would not include any long term agreements, i.e., any refinancingof the loan. They also stated that they recognized my point and that their departments do not speak toeach other and that this " was something Astoria was working on ''. 

Astoria 's Loan Mitigation department has all the information they have requested, and since I have had toupdate their request on multiple occasions, I can easily and quickly provide the most updated within 24hours of the request. 

I would be extremely grateful for the Bureaus assistance in getting Astoria to respond to my request tomove from an interest only loan to a fixed rate. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation