Consumer complaint received 2020-04-15
Company: Ocwen Financial Corporation
State: WI
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
The mortgage company is PHH Mortgage, in XX/XX/XXXX we received a letter from XXXX C/O PHH Mortgage Services informing account holders options for pmt. of property taxes in Wisconsin held in an escrow account ( our taxes were held in escrow ). We contacted XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX to inquire about this letter as we were unfamiliar with XXXX, spoke with XXXX we were informed it was a name change for PHH Mortgage, and regarding the document we received do not do anything with that, they ( XXXX  ) will look into it and call us back within the next week to tell us how to proceed. 
Not having heard anything called XXXX again XXXX XXXX, XXXX spoke with XXXX, we were told to check the box saying we wished to have our escrow check sent to us by XX/XX/XXXX, which I did, returned the document that same day, XX/XX/XXXX. 
Not having received our check to pay property taxes, we called XXXX on XXXX XXXX, XXXX to inform them of such, XXXX said they never received the form dated XXXX XXXX, XXXX, therefore XXXX would be paying our property taxes in multiple installments when due. We told them we always had checks mailed to our home and we pay our own taxes and requested they send the check to us, they indicated they would send the check to us by XXXX XXXX, XXXX so we could pay our taxes. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I also faxed a copy of the form signed XXXX XXXX, XXXX -- tried 5 different times, each time faxing failed -- unable to connect, I also tried calling XXXX and XXXX, each time unable to leave a voice mail. 
Not having received the escrow check, and waiting until the very last moment we paid our taxes ourselves writing a check for the full amount {$2600.00} on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. In the meantime, due to the difficulties we were experiencing we decided to refinance with another institution. 
Around the end of XXXX XXXX we received a ltr from XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX saying they received a correspondence and as soon as their research completed, they would promptly send us response. Due to our continued difficulties with XXXX we ultimately refinanced, closing on XX/XX/XXXX. 
We again reached out to XXXX, on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, spoke with XXXX XXXX to inform them we paid out taxes and we would be refinancing. I was informed a request would be submitted to not have our taxes dispersed. I asked about our escrow was told {$1600.00} would be returned to us, I informed them the amount was incorrect, if {$1200.00} had not been dispersed why would we only get {$1600.00} back, finally I was told a check in the amount of {$1200.00} was indeed dispersed on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and it was made out to XXXX XXXX Treasurer and when the treasurer received the check the treasurer would have to refund us the {$1200.00}. 
We contacted our treasurer, ultimately every other day, to inquire if she received the check she had not and it was illegal for her to reimburse us that legally she had to return the check to the mortgage company and they would need to send me the monies. On XX/XX/XXXX our treasurer received a check in the amount of {$1200.00} and returned it to XXXX XXXX. We expected we would receive the monies in our escrow account after the return of the {$1200.00}. 
Around XX/XX/XXXX we received a ltr from XXXX thanking us for paying off our mortgage and enclosed a check for {$1600.00}, not the full amount in our escrow. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I reached out to our loan office to see what we could do to get the {$1200.00} back and was advised that I call XXXX and ask that a stop payment be issued on the {$1200.00} check which was returned to XXXX XXXX. Following that advice, I called XXXX, spoke with Agent XXXX, I asked that XXXX  stop payment on the check in the amount of {$1200.00} and reissue a new check to us in the amount of {$1200.00}. 
As of XX/XX/XXXX, we have yet to receive the check in the amount of {$1200.00}, monies from our escrow account we paid each month along with our mortgage payment. I have attached documentation which shows XXXX paid {$1200.00} in " City Tax '', and issued 2 refunds in the amount of {$1600.00}. However, to date they have failed to refund to us the remaining {$1200.00}. Legally they have 30 days to return the monies, it has now been over 60 days. These are monies that are owed to us, it is our money, it is not for XXXX to keep!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation