Consumer complaint received 2015-08-28
Company: PHH Mortgage Services Corporation
State: WA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Loan modification,collection,foreclosure

Complaint:
I bought my house in XXXX XXXX. From that time, until XXXX XXXX, I never missed a payment and never paid late. I was paid once a month, on the last day of each month, and would use that check to make my payment due on the first. For example, my XXXX check would be used to make my XXXX XXXX payment, my XXXX XXXX check was used for my XXXX XXXX payment, and so on. 

In XXXX XXXX, this changed because my bank account was illegally accessed, completely cleaning it out. Fortunately, I 'd already made my XXXX XXXX mortgage payment before this happened, so I was fine for that month. However, because I now had to wait until my next check to pay my other bills, I was set back with my mortgage payment. This meant that my paycheck at the end of the month would go toward the month that already past. I had to use my XXXX XXXX check to pay my bills for the month that passed, not for my XXXX XXXX mortgage payment, so I had to wait for my XXXX XXXX check to make the mortgage payment that was due on XXXX XXXX. 

For the next year, I was in a cycle of making my mortgage payment at the end of the month. Each month, I had to pay a late fee, but I was determined to at least avoid having a 30 day late pay on record for my mortgage. 

Meanwhile, I tried to make arrangements with creditors to get back on track. Most, were able to work with me. For example, my car loan company moved one payment to the end of my loan, allowing me to skip one payment so I could get back to paying for the upcoming month, instead of the month that had passed. 

In XXXX XXXX, I contacted PHH to see if I might be able to make the same arrangement with my mortgage payment. The told me I could n't do that, but they could do a loan modification. To do so, they told me they 'd give me a lower payment that I 'd need to make over a 4-month trial period. Once I 'd shown I could make that payment, my payment would be reduced to that amount permanently. 

I did this for 4 months, but there was still no resolution as far as getting me back on the pay schedule I was on before. I contacted a conventional loan company just to get information. When they looked into my credit, they informed me that according to PHH, I was now 4 months late on paying my mortgage. I contacted PHH and they told me that was true and that even though I 'd followed what they told me, I was now considered to be 4 months behind. They also told me that my new " modified '' loan payment would be less each month, but my interest rate would increase. 

In XXXX XXXX, since I was now considered to be behind on my loan, I asked what my options were. They told me they 'd put me on a Repayment Plan where I 'd need to make essentially a double mortgage payment due XX/XX/XXXX, then make five monthly mortgage payments that were XXXX % higher than my actual mortgage payment. Once I 'd made all 5, I 'd be caught up on my payments. 

I made the double payment and for the past 5 months, I 've made my 20 % higher mortgage payments on time. The last payment was due XX/XX/XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ). I recently talked with PHH and was told that once that payment is made, I 'll be caught up and can go back to what my modified payment is. This payment is due on XXXX XXXX. So I 'll have a XXXX % higher payment due on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and a regular payment due the next day, XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. If I 'm not able to make the XXXX XXXX payment, the late cycle will continue. I 've already made my last payment of the repayment plan and am currently trying to make arrangements to make my XXXX XXXX payment. 

According to my credit report, PHH shows me as being 10 months late on my mortgage. My credit is completely ruined as a result. I would like to get a conventional loan to no longer deal with PHH, or at least no longer pay my PMI ( I qualify based on my LTV but FHA law says I have to have the loan for 5 years ), but no one will qualify me since PHH shows me having 10 late pays.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation