Consumer complaint received 2020-12-17
Company: PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC.
State: WA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage

Complaint:
My original mortgage was being serviced by PennyMac and as such they are responsible for paying my property taxes and have done so since the beginning. Because I refinanced my VA Loan on and it closed on XX/XX/XXXX-2020. The second half of my 2020 property taxes were due on XX/XX/XXXX-2020 and should have been paid by PennyMac prior to the closing date.

PennyMac is fully aware of this as on my PennyMac Account page, which I have downloaded a copy of, it states that they are the responsible party for paying the taxes on borrower 's behalf ( me ). 

XXXX County charges a late fee of 1 % for every month late from the total tax amount owned from 2020 not just the second half that has not been paid and in addition for the month of XXXX an additional 8 % fee is added. 

Because the refinance occured on XX/XX/XXXX-2020, PennyMac was responsible to pay the property taxes due no later than XX/XX/XXXX-2020. They did not nor did they notify me or the new mortgage company that they needed to pay the taxes. 

However, the Closing disclosure for my new mortgage does indicate that the closing agent, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX was to collect a years worth of taxes as part of the loan and send half to XXXX County to pay the second half of 2020 taxes and the other half was supposed to be sent to my new mortgage company, XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX ), to start my new escrow account. 

I have contacted XXXX and confirmed that they have in fact received their portion of the collected taxes and have placed it in my new escrow account. 

I have contacted the XXXX County Treasurer 's Office and confirmed that they have not received the second half of the 2020 taxes. 

I then contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX-2020 and was informed by them that they closed the lone on XXXX2020 and that they had sent the check to the XXXX County Treasurer 's Office on XX/XX/XXXX-2020. 

I then called the XXXX County Treasurer 's office back again and explained to them what I was told by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and they instructed me to have XXXX XXXX XXXX contact them directly and to have them provide a copy of the front and back of the check to them. 

I recontacted XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and spoke with " XXXX '' from the closing team and he stated that he would call XXXX County Treasurer right them, send them copies of the front and rear of the check and then give me a call back to let me know the resolution. 

I did not get a call back from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX so I waited till around noon of the following day to call the XXXX County Treasurer 's Office to ask if the tax situation had been resolved satisfactorily. I was informed that I still owned the taxes and that they had not received either a phone call from XXXX XXXX XXXX or copies of the check. 

I called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX back and was informed that there are a lot of " XXXX XXXX '' in the company and they could not figure out which one I spoke to but that they could see my account and that they would have a manager call me back as soon as possible. That was three days ago and I have still not heard anything back. 

As of XX/XX/XXXX-2020 I still have not heard anything back from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and I have confirmed with the XXXX County Treasurer 's Office that I am still in default for the second half of my 2020 property taxes. 

The original amount owed on the second half of my 2020 property taxes was {$3600.00}. Now due to the late fees and penalties the amount due is {$4000.00}. 

PennyMac is now saying that they sent me a refund escrow check which included the unpaid taxes and that I should use those funds to pay the past due taxes. I have not received any such refund check from PennyMac and those funds would not cover the 10 % late fees that are attached. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has simply not called me back with any help and claim that they paid the XXXX County Treasurer 's Office by way of check dated XXXX2020 which XXXX County claims never to have recieved. And, again, the amount XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX stated to have paid, {$3600.00}, would not cover the late fees and penalties which have been attached. 

I would like to have my taxes paid seeing as how the loan included a years worth of taxes collected in advance and PennyMac failed to pay the taxes in accordance with the original loan terms on time. I do not feel that I should have to pay the late fees and penalties associated with the delinquent payment of the second half of the 2020 property taxes seeing as how PennyMac should have paid them prior to the closing of refinance and even if they did not the closing agent, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX should have paid them well before XX/XX/XXXX which is when the 8 % penalty in conjunction with another 1 % late fee was added to the already existing 1 % late fee for the month of XXXX. 

I am able to upload copies of the above identified documents when needed as thy have personal information on them and this form instructs to to include any personal information in this initial process.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation