Consumer complaint received 2020-12-13
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: TN
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
In XXXX, XXXX, our lender SunTrust, now XXXX, used escrow funds to pay XXXX XXXX property taxes in the amount of {$2200.00}. The lender 's payment erroneously referenced the neighbor 's parcel number and the neighbor 's tax amount. The check was subsequently returned, uncashed, by the county tax collector on XX/XX/XXXX, to the lender 's associate, XXXX in XXXX, TX. We don't know what happened to that check. In fact we were unaware this was happening as our funds were managed by escrow, not us personally. 

In XXXX, XXXX, we paid off our loan in full and received a distribution from our escrow account, which had been debited the {$2200.00}, but never re-credited when the initial check never cleared. Between XXXX, XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, the property tax check did not clear, was not reconciled or reviewed on our escrow account to learn why the check had not cleared, nor satisfactorily resolved to pay the property taxes for our real property. It appears that no action was taken at all beyond mailing out the property tax check referencing the incorrect APN. 

I learned in XXXX, XXXX that the XXXX property taxes were not paid, were delinquent and had penalties of {$270.00} associated with the non-payment. I contacted my lender on XX/XX/XXXX and was bounced around for over an hour explaining that the taxes had not ever been paid and that the county had returned the check to XXXX, but my escrow account had never been credited, nor had the property taxes been correctly paid on time. I was advised that my lender would investigate, that it might take a few weeks and I was given the exact date of XX/XX/XXXX, to call in to a specific number if I had not heard from them by that date. 

I called on XX/XX/XXXX after hearing nothing, and after paying the delinquent property taxes out of my own funds to avoid further late charges. I sent proof that payment was made to my lender on XX/XX/XXXX, by sending in proof to a website with PIN which my lender gave me. My lender also asked me to upload proof that the taxes were in fact delinquent, which I did. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was not given any concrete resolution or information that any department had in fact tracked down the non-payment of the tax. I was told the matter would be EXPEDITED, and that I would receive a call within 24 hours. 

Over 24 hours elapsed without a phone call, and so I called back. Again I was offered the chance to jump through the hoops and informed that there were not any notes in the file other than, " someone would call ... ... '' I expressed my high level of frustration due to the fact that not only had this problem not been handled through escrow, as is their duty, but that they appear to have not even reconciled my escrow account with a returned property tax check for months and months before I closed out my loan. I expressed that they had a duty to make this right, that the {$2200.00} is my money, they need to pay the late fees, that I had to come out of pocket this large amount on a credit card in XXXX and the balance is now due. I advised them on XX/XX/XXXX, that if no one called with a resolution that I would have no recourse but to file a complaint with the CFPB for violation of their fiduciary duty over my escrow funds and to ensure that property taxes are paid in a timely manner. 

I need for SunTrust ( XXXX ) to return the money which they charged my escrow account for payment of taxes, which they failed to pay, and I need reimbursement for the late fees that I was required to pay for their inept handling of my account.

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 monetary relief