Consumer complaint received 2021-01-21
Company: AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC
State: MD
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I have a mortgage with Amerihome Mortgage of XXXX, NJ. In XX/XX/XXXX my automatic payment to my mortgage company was returned due to the draw happening one day before the money was in my bank account. I noticed that happened when I checked both my mortgage account and banking info online. I attempted to pre-empt a late payment/fee by manually submitting another payment. My manual payment was processed correctly. However, Amerihome 's automated system attempted to take another payment and I didn't want my bank account to be overdrawn. So I had to issue a stop payment against Amerihome drawing from my bank account a second time. I also had to have Amerihome return the second payment because it had been processed and my bank account was affected. 

Now, for my XX/XX/XXXX payment which was supposed to auto-draft on XX/XX/XXXX I didn't realize I needed to contact the bank again to remove the " stop payment ''. So, when Amerihome 's automated system tried to draw on my account it was denied. Again, I realized this before my payment would be late ( on XX/XX/XXXX ) and I contacted the bank to remove the " stop payment ''. Then I logged onto my account in the Amerihome web portal to try to submit a manual payment but the online system indicated that I could not use that function at that time. So I called Amerihome. The bank did remove the " stop payment '' but the Amerihome rep who I spoke to on XX/XX/XXXX did not help me at all. She said she couldn't see that the payment hadn't gone through. I should have just asked to submit another payment at that time but I couldn't foresee all the trouble I was going to have issuing a payment beyond that point. 

I intended to call back on XX/XX/XXXX to give time for their system to catch up. However, I was ill that day ( I even got a XXXX XXXX and have proof of doing so ). So, I wasn't able to call Amerihome again until XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I spoke to 3 different people who each told me that the reason I couldn't use the online system ( or the phone system ) to make a payment was because they were now requiring a certified check only. I argued that the payment hadn't been denied due to insufficient funds so requiring a certified payment didnt make any sense and could I please have that waived so I could make the payment over the phone and it not be late. I was told by the 3rd person I spoke to ( Ms. XXXX rep # XXXX, in the Loss Mitigation dept. ) that she had the authority and ability to override the requirement for the certified check. She then proceeded to accept my payment with an additional fee of {$9.00}. She gave me a confirmation # of the payment transaction ( XXXX ). She said it could take up to 3 days to process the payment especially because the XXXX was a national holiday ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ). 

So I have checked my banking and Amerihome accounts online everyday since and noticed once again that the payment has not been processed. Now, XX/XX/XXXX, I am on the phone with Amerihome again and have been told that the payment was never processed because they could not override the need for a certified check and that the payment is now late and that I must send a certified check. Now I am at my wits end feeling as though I have been scammed this whole time. As I write out the details of this complaint I am on hold with Amerihome trying to speak to someone with some authority to assist me. 

My complaint that I wish to file against Amerihome encompasses the following : 1. Minor complaint : Their system was at fault for trying to draw a second payment after I had made an on-time payment manually. When I tried to alert Amerihome of what was happening they provided little assistance and no concern that their system might be flawed. 
2. Major Complaint : That my payment was still not processed after being told that Amerihome 's system 's requirement for a certified check was overridden and having been given a confirmation number for a payment made. 
a. Not honoring a payment made in good faith and, being asked to make that payment again with a late fee. This seems predatory and unethical. 
b. Throughout this entire situation I have been trying to pay on my mortgage in a timely fashion. However, Amerihome has blatantly lied to me at least once and consistently blocked me from making a payment. 

I believe I have made more than every effort to resolve this situation in a reasonable manor but that Amerihome is not cooperating. 

At this very moment : I am once again speaking with someone in customer service ( XXXX ) who says she can override the need for a certified check and take my payment. But how can I be assured that is the case? It's as if the customer service staff don't know their own system.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation