Consumer complaint received 2022-09-09
Company: Caliber Home Loans, Inc.
State: WA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I was on a COVID forbearance for 12 months as approved by my lender, Caliber Home Loans. XX/XX/2022 I contacted/called my servicer to resume payments as per the requirement and their advice that I contact them mid-month ( XXXX ) before the COVID forbearance was to end in order to resume payments. In the XX/XX/XXXX call the Caliber agent let me know I would resume the mortgage, and offered me a few options ( payback the lump sum, make payments, hold it for repayment upon sale of the house, or a hardship refinance to 40 years ). I opted to resume my regular payments per my initial mortgage and then to hold the past amount due to be paid upon any future potential sale of the house -- and the Caliber agent let me now they would be formalizing an agreement for me to sign and then they would be mailing paperwork/the agreement for me to sign. A week later, end XXXX, I had not received the paperwork and was concerned about getting the paperwork back on time to Caliber. I called Caliber back and let them know I was concerned and asked about the paperwork. They said they had not mailed it yet - and that I should wait. I waited another week + a few days - no paperwork. I called Caliber again they said it could take 30-40 days to get the paperwork out and they did not know when it would be mailed. I asked about other options ( electronic agreements ) they said they needed hardcopies/inked signatures and I should wait for the agreement in the mail. I asked what would happen if everything was late and how does that work in terms of me making a mortgage payment. They said I could resume payments once the paperwork was processed- no problem. On XX/XX/XXXX I finally received the paperwork in my mailbox. I noticed the Agreement said it must be returned to Caliber by XX/XX/XXXX, but I did not receive it until after that deadline. I called Caliber XX/XX/XXXX and said I just received the paperwork after the deadline that it was due. They told me to return it anyway and that I did not have to make a payment until the paperwork was processed. Things continued to be delayed, not to worry. Per the agreement, the first resumed mortgage payment would be due XX/XX/XXXX. I understood from the Caliber agent that I was on track and that a mailing of XX/XX/XXXX ( day I signed/mailed it back ) would provide Caliber the time they needed to process the signed agreement or they would bump the mortgage back to a later start with no issue or effect. The agent also told me they needed a signed copy and that it should be an inked/wet signature because I asked about electronic paperwork completion which they said was not an option due to the required signature. I signed/mailed the paperwork back on XX/XX/XXXX ( attached copies below of what I mailed to them ). Today, XXXX XXXX, I got a call from Caliber saying that because I did not return the paperwork by XX/XX/XXXX ( 4 days before I actually received the mailed agreement ), that the agreement was null/void and they needed to look at other options for repayment and repaying/refinancing my mortgage. I spoke at length with the Caliber agent re all the details above, and they provided NO flexibility, saying that they were not responsible for the delayed us postal system and the agreement was void. I asked why the agent told me otherwise in the calls I made prior to having received the paperwork and then also the day I received the paperwork - they did not respond to those questions. I asked them how I could return paperwork on time if I had not received until after the deadline passed and then the agent at Caliber on XXXX XXXX informed me I had no cause for concern and they would just process/restart my mortgage once the agreement was received- no mention of altering mortgage terms, agreement or payback. They agent today did not respond or answer that question/point and again repeated that they couldn't be responsible for the US postal system for delayed mailing. I asked why they didn't mail it certified to ensure it was received on time as I had called several times asking where the agreement was. No response from the agent. She THEN told me that had they received the paperwork by XXXX XXXX, that would have allowed time for holding to the agreement they mailed but she said it was XXXX XXXX and which is a week past the XXXX XXXX, 'internal/secret/real ' deadline. I reiterated that I mailed it back XXXX XXXX - and asked what the postmark was on the return mailing and when they received it - the agent said they processed it today. I asked again what the postmark was and when they actually received it and she did not know/could not tell me. I said today is XXXX XXXX- Monday XXXX. XXXX was a holiday ( and per the agent they don't work on weekends ) -- I explained that conceivably the paperwork could have arrived in their office on Friday XXXX XXXX ( 10 days after I mailed it ) to meet that 'internal/secret ' deadline but they had not opened or logged it. The agent had no response to that. I asked why they did not call me on XXXX XXXX if they had not received it - I would have FedExed a copy from the records I saved. The agent did not respond to that. I understood from all my call to Caliber over the year and especially since XXXX, that I was ON TIME - ( and I had no reason for concern because I was PLANNING FOR THIS RESTART ). Now I feel they are changing the terms and trying pull a fast one -- by mailing late paperwork, by not honoring the agreement that we have in place which puts my first restart mortgage payment on XXXX XXXX of this year- which I am prepared to pay and have been planning for. Even though today is XXXXXXXX XXXX  -- 24 days before my XX/XX/XXXX mortgage is due, they are providing NO flexibility to hold to the term of what I understood was our solid agreement, with time to still make that happen. If I had ANY concern when I mailed the documents, I would have called Caliber daily to ask if they received it but the agents I spoke with did not EVER speak to a change of terms if they paperwork was not processed or not received because by the time I received it - it was already late! I am shocked and very nervous that this servicer could hit me with a huge repayment plan then also refinance my mortgage at a much higher rate -- none of which I can afford. Last we left it, the agent could not resolve anything so a supervisor or manager is going to call me back 'within XXXX business days ', which again, seems a hugely lackadaisical approach for a consumer/solid citizen who has really done everything right to honor/hold to the agreement that I understood was in place, and is now fearing the loss of my home due to increased payment amount/mortgage terms. ( I am STUNNED that Caliber would have delayed mailing to prevent delivery until a due date was past and then takes no responsibility for that. )

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation