Consumer complaint received 2023-08-23
Company: PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC
State: FL
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
To whom this concerns, This complaint is in reference loan number XXXX with Planet Home Lending. The company has been misinforming the homeowners and has been difficult to get the correct information from. Our loan closed XX/XX/XXXX. Shortly 4 months later the home was hit by Ian a CAT 4 hurricane. The home sustained 2 feet of standing flood water throughout the home due to Ian. The home was insured by flood and homeowners insurance. The claims were filed with both companies. There was no help from FEMA, application was denied due to having been insurance. The paid claims were not nearly enough to put the home back to livable conditions. The home was inspected by an engineer, the report is attached. His findings stated the home is inhabitable and should be condemned. Also, his report noted the home should be rebuilt and not repaired due to the damages to the home. Homeowner contacted Planet Home Lending and was able to get a FEMA forbearance from Planet Home Lending. It was to started in XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  and ended 6 months later. 

During this time my family was living in a travel trailer, and trying to put home back together. We were told in XXXX of XXXX  that we qualify for a FHA disaster loan to reestablish as homeowners. We contacted a broker to assist with this process. We soon after had a accepted contract on a new home which was to be completed in XX/XX/XXXX, but later this date was pushed back to XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  due to building delays. There is now a closing date of XX/XX/XXXX. 

Planet home lending was contacted by broker and homeowner to discuss the options of short sale of the current property. When the short sale was applied for and the necessary documents to start off with were submitted expected a Bill of sale because we had to have the home listed for 90 days. After a month the broker reach out to Planet for additional information and was told the homeowners needed to submit bank statements. This was emailed within 24 hours of the request. Currently, the home has been listed for 78 days and counting. Offers and showing had been happening on the property but no offers were submitted to Planet Home Lending due to fact we were told the home had to be listed for 90 days. If we had sold the house sooner than the new home being completed, my family would have been homeless. The XXXX XXXX we were in was only a temporary, which left in XX/XX/XXXX. 

Being this complaint to the present day, I spoke with Plant home Lending today XX/XX/XXXX, they reported and lied that our forbearance started in XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  and end XX/XX/XXXX. This is incorrect information. The homeowner told the representative XXXX was told her findings on the account were wrong, she replied that she couldnt go back any further on the account ending in XXXX. In the beginning of my complaint I stated that Planet Home Lending has been misinforming and staff does not seem to be knowledgeable, this is why I feel that way. Also today, the broker reached out to Planet Home Lending to give a offer on the current home. She was told the file was closed and the homeowners would need to start the process over due to missing documents. When the representative from Planet Home Lending called, while in the process of the short, she always asked only two questions ; 1 ) Has there been showings? 2 ) Has there been offers?, she never asked for further documents other than those two questions. If she needed something we could of provided it if we had it. If the missing document was a offer for the house, why were were told 90 days on the market before offers were accepted. Again information that was told to homeowners and broker. 

The short sale process can not be restarted. The new home is completed and to be closed on very shortly. Planet Home Lending should as a courtesy expedite the process or reopen the previous request. There is no time now to wait another 90 days, otherwise the new home will be lost, leaving the homeowners to continue to live in a unsafe damaged property. 

As a human being how can someone continue to be kicked to ground due to something that was not to begin with their fault. The situation the homeowners we placed in was a act god. Hurricane Ian is to blame but yet the homeowners have to continue to suffer, almost one year later. When can the homeowners rest their heads at night in a safe home and have peace of mind that their safe from another act of god. 

Please Planet Home Lending we are begging you reopen or expedite our Short sale. This has to happen for us to move on. 

Thank you kindly, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation