Consumer complaint received 2020-08-03
Company: Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc.
State: MD
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I contacted my mortgage company, Dovenmuehle/XXXX XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX to initiate the process of having the PMI insurance removed because I am certain I have met the 80/20 threshold. Each time I've called them, I've received a different answer that delays my ability to have it removed. This is money that I have lost during a time that I am struggling financially. When I first contacted them, I was told I would get a response to my request via mail. I finally received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX that told me I had been late on a payment during the last 12 months and so I was not eligible. I didn't recall being late so I called back and they conveyed that I would not be eligible until XXXX b/c I had not made my XX/XX/XXXX payment within 30 days. I did not question their data. 

I called back again in XXXX, but I was then told that I was not eligible until XXXX. I wondered if it was somehow the manner in which they were counting the 12 months from the receipt of the XX/XX/XXXX payment. I did express my frustration at the different answer  but to no avail. 

I called again in late XX/XX/XXXX, knowing that by XX/XX/XXXX I would be eligible and that I could at least get the process started on the early side. I was told I would be receiving a phone call within a few days to begin the appraisal process. However, by XX/XX/XXXX, I still had not received a call so I called XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX again. I was told at that time that whoever told me I would be receiving a phone call was wrong because they never call. The contact advised that I would be getting a letter and at first he told me he didn't know what was in it. I said that seemed ridiculous in this day and age and asked him to try and get it. He put me on hold, came back and said he found the letter. 
He said that the letter indicated my request was being denied because I needed a new appraisal. That was frustrating b/c I already knew a new appraisal was needed and had proactively asked EVERY time I had called previously to get a new appraisal. I also asked the contact how much the appraisal would cost, but he told me he didn't know b/c his information didn't show the " attachment '' and the cost of the appraisal was in the attachment. He did suggest I send an email to the office that handles these issues in which I convey all the improvements I had made to my home. I did send an email on the same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ). 

I finally received the letter on XX/XX/XXXX ( a ridiculous amount of time for it to arrive frankly ). Much to my surprise, despite what the contact had told me, nothing in the letter detailed requesting an appraisal. Instead, the letter once again said my request was denied because I had a late payment in the last 12 months. It did not convey any additional factual information. So I ONCE AGAIN called XXXX XXXX XXXX the same day XXXX received the letter ( XX/XX/XXXX ). I was advised that I would have to wait until XXXX b/c I had submitted my XX/XX/XXXX payment late. I asked to speak with a manager. I was referred to XXXX who conveyed she was a manager. XXXX said that I made the XX/XX/XXXX payment in XXXX but they didn't process it until XXXX. I expressed frustration at the different answers I had received each time I called and also conveyed that I should NOT be held accountable for delays resulting from their own system. XXXX ultimately told me she could take payment for the appraisal and that the appraiser would call me within 5 days. 

I did not receive a phone call within 5 days so I called XXXX XXXX XXXX AGAIN. I was told that the appraisal was in the system and the contact stated they were putting a note in the system to have the call from the appraiser " expedited. '' I sent a secure message on XX/XX/XXXX b/c I still had not received a call. I did not receive a response to my secure message, nor did I receive a call from an appraiser. 
I called again on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX and asked to immediately be transferred to a manager. During this conversation, the manager conveyed that my payment for the appraisal had been " misappropriated internally '' but that it had been corrected XX/XX/XXXX ( Saturday??? ) and that I would receive a call within 5 to 7 days. I responded that this was unacceptable given that I had been told the wrong information numerous times since XX/XX/XXXX and that I expected a call back by the end of the day from the appraiser. He conveyed that I was not likely to receive a call. So I told him that I would be filing a complaint. 

Note that in order to pay for the appraisal, I had to drive to one of my banks, remove money from my account and then drive it to the other bank so that it was available to cover the cost of the appraisal. Paying for the appraisal two weeks ago also meant I had no buffer during the last two weeks. How can a company continue to delay and procrastinate while they continue to collect approximately {$200.00} from me each month for insurance I dont need and frankly havent needed for months? Then, they take my money for the appraisal and it gets " lost '' in their system? Shouldn't they have internal controls in place so that doesn't happen? How can I have any confidence that they are accurately calculating my mortgage payment, interest, principle, etc.? I have attached the letters from XXXX XXXX XXXX as well as the email and secure messages I sent them as detailed above.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation