Consumer complaint received 2022-07-22
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Other type of mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
On or about XX/XX/XXXX we received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX from Citizens Bank with instructions for our XXXX XXXX numbered xxxxxxxxxx to convert to permanent loan status. We were asked to fill out this Modification Agreement, have it notarized and returned to their XXXX XXXX, XXXX location with an NLT date of return of XX/XX/XXXX. Failure to have it completed as is without modifications unless approved with the lenders consent and delivered by the XX/XX/XXXX date this agreement may become null and void. Their cover letter stated that These documents reflect, as of the date of this letter, the current outstanding balance of your loan. This agreement delineated the particulars of our scheduled future payments. They used an outstanding balance of {$190000.00} at an interest rate of 3.125 % with payments of {$820.00} beginning on XX/XX/XXXX and running continuously at this fixed amount for the remaining 350 months of the now converted XXXX XXXX to permanent loan status. Our outstanding balance as of the date of the letter, XX/XX/XXXX, was not {$190000.00}. It was in fact {$180000.00}. Consequently, the payment scheduled provided was incorrect and should be modified and corrected with payments for the 350 months beginning XX/XX/XXXX pegged at {$810.00} not {$820.00}. 
So, prior to our filling out, notarizing and returning the documents I tried contacting their office to discuss and get corrected our future fixed payments. I called numerous times and left messages on their voice mail system. No return phone calls. Consequently, hesitatingly, we filled out the documents, had them notarized and returned to their XXXX XXXX office. I included a note on one of the returned documents asking them to call me. No call to me was received. Over the next few weeks, I continued to periodically call and leave messages. No one ever answered their number. On or about XX/XX/XXXX we received another letter from Citizens Bank congratulating us on the completion of our new home. Included in the body of the letter were payment details of which I considered were incorrect. I tried calling their contact number again multiple times without ever speaking to a person and was instructed to leave a message. I never received a return call. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, due to the lack of response from the Mortgage Area, I emailed XXXX XXXX in the XXXX XXXX. XXXX previously assisted me for past unresolved Mortgage Issues. Later that day I did receive a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX and we spoke for a while concerning my issues. I referenced that I was at a gym and didnt have all the material in front of me so I spoke from memory. I followed up with a detailed email to ensure we were on the same page. Later that evening I received an email from her that delineated how the Bank came up with my future mortgage payment. This information I already had and for which I am in dispute of. Included in her response was the following. I am still waiting for a response from senior management regarding the completion and acceptance letter. 
On XX/XX/XXXX as I still had no follow up from XXXX XXXX from her XXXX email, I emailed her again asking where are you with your response from senior management. To date she has not responded. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I emailed once again XXXX XXXX asking for assistance. No response back to me. 
On or about XX/XX/XXXX I received a call from XXXX XXXX who works in the XXXX XXXX group in Citizens Bank. She was following up on my inquiry. I laughed as it now was at least a month since my last inquiry into Citizens without response. I actually told her I no longer cared. That would change dramatically over the next few days. However, XXXX was quite sincere in wanting to track the issue down and get an answer. 
On XXXX I was apprised that my identity was compromised and I should notify my financial institution. 
On XXXX I received an email from XXXX part of which stated and for which I paraphrase that both her and her manager agreed that I should get a new and corrected letter with corrected payments.. They sent an email to the affected department but the manager has been out of the office and will be in next week. She will contact me with an update. No further updates received. 
On XXXX I went to the XXXX XXXX  office to see what if anything needed to be done pertaining to my compromised identity. Additionally, I showed her a photo of my online mortgage account that read in light blue that my XX/XX/XXXX payment would be increasing by {$940.00}. She contacted the mortgage customer service number and I spoke to them and was informed that no such thing would happen. Okay! 
On XXXX I accessed my online mortgage account at Citizens and lo and behold my XX/XX/XXXX mortgage payment which hereto fore was scheduled to be {$820.00} was NOW GOING TO BE {$1700.00}. After discussion with local branch personnel, I emailed XXXX XXXX XXXX who had again offered her assistance. She made some inquiries but was unable to get any answer at all. 
On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX then filed another Customer Care case on my behalf and as soon as that occurs, she can no longer provide any assistance to me. I was informed of this by email and it stated in part that someone from the Office of the Chair would be in contact with me. To date no such contact has occurred. I also inquired to her for contact information at the senior level so I may contact them directly. She was unable to provide that. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I then emailed and phoned XXXX XXXX asking for assistance. Afterall, she was part of the Advocacy group. To date no response back to me. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I sent a message to the Mortgage Department via their online system asking for assistance. I received an email back stating that my message was received and they would respond back to me within 3 business days. To date no response. 
On XX/XX/XXXX a statement was generated within the Citizen Mortgage system which shows that my next mortgage payment will be the {$1700.00}. Included within the systems documents is a new amortization schedule. It seems I now have a ten-year fixed rate mortgage instead of the 30-year mortgage I signed for and Citizens approved. You have to be kidding me! I believe Citizens may have regulatory issues and are acting in a predatory manner that needs to be addressed. 

What Im looking for is that this is made right! For the most part nothing more than the agreed upon, approved and contractually signed mortgage we signed on for. As such, adjustment back to the XX/XX/XXXX payment that should have been {$810.00} a month for the remaining 350 months of my XXXX construction loan agreement now converted to permanent loan status. Consideration by Citizens to compensate me for the time, effort and literal waste of my time in attempting to get the Bank to if nothing else respond. 

Included as attachments are pretty much all of the detail communications in chronological order that were done in my attempt to get my questions answered and resolved. There is a fair amount of redundancy as I attempted to keep the context complete and consistent as to who I was communicating with.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation