Consumer complaint received 2022-05-22
Company: BETHPAGE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: NY
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX after COVID-19 pandemic, I was furloughed and unable to pay the mortgage. I reached out for assistance and was given a forbearance plan. I returned to work, contacted the mortgage company and asked if the amount of forbearance could be placed on the back of the mortgage. At that point they informed me that they do not do that and told me that the full amount was due right away. At that point I set up a re-payment plan, paying the regular monthly mortgage payment and an additional amount. It wasn't long before I was financially strapped again. I tried to refinance the mortgage, I paid for an appraisal, submitted paperwork, only to never hear back from the mortgage company. Then I received a letter claiming that I never submitted the paperwork for the refi. 
Over the course of the next year, I tried catching up with payments, speaking to the mortgage company about different options, but received little to no help from them. I also noticed that each time I called and spoke to a different representative I was given conflicting information from the previous representative that I had spoken to. 
Around XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke to a representative ( I believe his name was XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) and he informed me that this was occurring to a lot of people and to not worry as he said I was eligible for a program that would take all past due amount, apply it towards the end of the mortgage, which would then bring me current. He stated that he would send out paperwork and all I had to do was sign it, notarize it and send it back. After waiting weeks and not receiving anything, I once again called, spoke to another representative and once again was given conflicting information say that program was no longer available and that person would not have known if I was even approved. At this point, they told me that the best option was a loan modification and that they would send out the paperwork that I needed to complete. Once again, I completed the said paperwork and returned it, only to be told they never received it. Within a week or two, I was served notice that I was in foreclosure from the banks attorney. I called the banks attorney and left a message. To this date, I have yet to receive a call back from them. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, the mortgage company sent me a statement showing the amount I owed to bring the mortgage current, up to XX/XX/XXXX, including attorney fees. Fear of loosing my home, I was able to come up with the full amount due. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the mortgage company and sent up a payment for the full amount due, which funds were in my bank account of the bank that holds the mortgage. After noticing that the funds did not come out of my account, I called the mortgage company to inquire. At this point, I was told that they would not accept payment this way and that I was to submit a certified check, even though the funds were in the same bank that held the mortgage. I went to the bank, received at certified check in the full amount due as we were advised by a representative over the phone and sent it out to the mortgage company that same day. They received this check on XX/XX/XXXX and advised that it could take up to XXXX weeks to process the payment. After calling multiple times over the next XXXX weeks to finally get this resolved, we were then advised that we needed a reinstatement letter ( this was never previously mentioned ) and also told that the person who gave us the amount due over the phone should not have done that because we were into another month and the amount changed ( month changed after the received full payment ). I argued that I have been trying to pay them since XX/XX/XXXX and was told its not their problem. 
At this point, the bank is returning the certified check and charging us more attorney fees. We have still not received a reinstatement letter and now on top of everything, I am forced to take a day off from work and go to court to fight this foreclosure. Even though I have made multiple attempts to pay all money owed.

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