Consumer complaint received 2022-08-23
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OR
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I was under Covid protection/mortgage forbearance until XX/XX/XXXX. I was told, under this, repeatedly, any missed payments were deferred and would be due as a balloon payment at the end of my loan term. When I expressed concern about my ability to make a balloon payment in such a short space of time, I was advised the loan would be converted to a 30 year/not to worry/cross that bridge, etc. 

In early XXXX, I reached out and was initially offered a deferment, although, at that point, my loan was current. I don't recall the name, but I did receive a call/had conversations on XX/XX/XXXX with a gentleman who identified himself as my personal " account specialist ''. The conversation we had was very difficult to understand ( he sounded like he was underwater ) and I never heard from him again. He told me I was no longer eligible for forbearance and something of something that " my situation had changed ''. I received no further communications of any sort about this. 

In XXXX I contacted Chase ( I believe mortgage forbearance, again ) and was cheerfully informed to not worry, I was eligible for a deferment and would I like to accept it? I agreed, it was a two month deferment. 

On XX/XX/XXXX ( I know because I had a handyman over, have pictures of the new door uploaded on my phone ), I received a notice my account was now 5 months past due, I must pay the entire past due amount immediately or I would be foreclosed on. I called the number on the notice. The very nice and helpful lady who answered immediately told me I was " eligible for a deferment and that would bring my account current, would I like to take that? ". I did, but I again made a point of discussing that my account should not BE approaching foreclosure, because it was, at most 60 days past due. 

I believe this was essentially ignored/brushed aside and I was told to not concern myself about this. 

On XX/XX/XXXX ( I'm basing this on my payday -- -so I attempted to make a payment when my mortgage was either 60 days late, not the 150 days you continued to claim ), I submitted an online payment for half my mortgage payment. It was rejected. I inquired as to why and a copy of your " good-bye letter '' was sent to me electronically. IT specifically states " nothing will change about my account except for who I remit my payments to ''. I also called customer service about it, multiple times and was assured there would be a 60 day freeze of any negative activity and, since I was ( once again ) eligible for a deferment, that would be honored. 

I immediately began seeking to communicate with XXXX and was in later Approved for a trial payment plan/loan modification, even though the account would have been still frozen. I made my first trial payment to XXXX on or before XX/XX/XXXX, because it posted on that date. I would later be informed it " doesn't count '' because it was made before the 60 day freeze was over ( or some such ). 

I decided during this time frame, while I had been treated unfairly, I would move forward because the modification would allow me to resume payments and pay off my loan, the only thing I had ever wanted to do. 

In a conversation with my Single Point of Contact/Loss Mitigation XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX also included, so she and Shellpoint XXXX XXXX made aware of this, as I have requested, I was informed a Quit Claim Deed would be needed to proceed with the loan modification, once my trial payments were concluded successfully. 

I had not heard of this, was under the impression the property merely awarded to me is sufficient, but this is not the case. I was further informed in multiple, subsequent conversations with other XXXX representatives, XXXX would likely proceed with foreclosure if I did not obtain a Quit Claim Deed, which my ex refuses to sign. 

In one of these conversations ( I had always planned on making much larger payments, anyway, as again, my only wish was to pay off my loan and live in my house ), I inquired about other options. I was informed even if I was deferment eligible, XXXX must have that in writing and they considered that to then be due immediately and upfront. Further more, because the last payment made ( ignoring the unapplied trial payments ) and they also ignored the Covid Mortgage protection, they considered my loan to be a full year past due and I must make 12 payments ( nearly the entire loan, in fact ) upfront. If I wanted to make a " mere '' 3 upfront payments, I needed to prove, in writing, it was only 90 days past due when it came to them. Honestly, even {$4300.00} would be a struggle for me, but I'd certainly seek to find a way. 

With this information, I reached out to Chase customer service to give me documents that supported my assertions. Each secure message grew progressively rude, dismissive and snotty. And failed to give me the information I had requested. The second such communication was so obnoxious, I realized this action has been illegal, advised I'd be pursuing legal action and submitting regulatory complaints unless I was satisfied. My complaint was escalated to XXXX XXXX ( not sure of the spelling ). I was assured of a reply within in 3 business days. 

I also began some cursory internet research and uncovered a variety of lawsuits and actions against Chase that are remarkably similar to my situation, indicating precedent and an ongoing pattern dating back over a decade. 

I called the line I was given for Mortgage Escalations ( XXXX ) daily : Thursday XX/XX/XXXX, Friday XX/XX/XXXX and Monday XXXX. I was assured " an email was being sent '' to XXXX about this and he would call me as soon as he " had completed his investigation ''. When I called Monday, I was first brushed off similarly, then the associate noticed a not had been left, again, brushing and dismissing my concerns. No one bothered to call and inquire as to specifics, nor did anybody seem concerned about my issue or my continued assurances of my intent to pursue legal action. 

I immediately demanded a supervisor and/or the Executive Office . The associate repeatedly tried to talk me out of this insisting, 'this is something we do all the time ''. Yes, I am fully aware you are legally entitled to sell my loan at any time, for any reason or no reason. You are NOT entitled to make verbal contracts with me, breach them and not inform me. You are not entitled to record incorrect information and not correct it or justify it when I've brought it to your attention. 

Ultimately, I sent this summary to my " executive '' and was told, after an extensive amount of time, that my mortgage " was ineligible for deferment because the amount was so small ''. Except, again, it was repeatedly offered to me, I never before informed of this, it was never 5 months past due, etc. I was repeatedly given contradictory information by the bank and they repeatedly committed fraud and breached the verbal agreements they kept making.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation