Consumer complaint received 2022-06-17
Company: Mr. Cooper Group Inc.
State: CA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2022, we received an Escrow Review Statement from Mr. Cooper, our mortgage company. This statement stated that starting onXX/XX/2022, our mortgage payment would increase from {$1000.00} to {$1500.00} per month. The statement also stated that there was a shortage of {$2500.00} in our account. 

I called Mr. Cooper on XX/XX/2022, to get clarification as to where, exactly, the new charges originated from. I spoke to an agent from Arizona. I expressed my concerns as the agent began looking into my account. The agent originally stated that there had been an error in our original loan and they there trying to corrected now. I reminded the agent that our loan was 30 year conventional loan for {$160000.00} and 3.5 % interest rate. The agent agreed that that information did not seem correct. She proceed to tell me that the increase was due to an increase in our hazard insurance. I reminded her that our home insurance was {$36.00} per month and it seemed impossibly that it would increase to almost {$600.00} per month. If this was the case, we would be looking for a different insurance. The agent then said that it was not the home insurance, but our fire insurance. I informed her that Mr. Cooper had clearly informed us, during closing on the property, that since our property was in a high risk fire area we would need to find our own fire insurance. We worked with XXXX  XXXX XXXX and established our insurance policy, and since day one, have been paying them directly. I was really concerned that Mr. Cooper would also be collecting, through our escrow account, for something they told us we were responsible for. The agent confirmed that Mr. Cooper has been collecting for our fire insurance for the entire duration of our loan. The agent then proceeded to tell me that the increase was also due to our property taxes. I then informed the agent that since they were not able to give me a clear explanation of where the additional charges originated, I was formally requesting that Mr. Cooper closed my escrow account, and return the amount already collected. I informed then that from this point forward, I would be responsible for personally paying my property taxes, and home insurance, and would continue to pay for our fire insurance. The agent assure me that she would submit the request and Mr. Cooper would inform me once the request was approved. 

The following day, I called our XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX confirmed that the only payments they had received where the payments sent directly by me. I also contacted the XXXX County Tax Collectors Office and inquired about our property taxes increasing. I was informed that our taxes had not increased and the office would not know if they would increase until XXXX. I then called Mr. Cooper again to let them know what I had learned from XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX Tax Collectors. The representative confirmed that my request from the day before was submitted and I would be reimbursed for {$1300.00} escrow balance. 

A few days later, I received a letter from Mr. Cooper dated XX/XX/2022, stating, " Please be advised that by XX/XX/2022 you will no longer have an escrow account ( also called an " impound '' or " trust '' account ) for the hazard insurance because you requested that Mr. Cooper close the account. 
After this date, you must directly pay your property costs, such as taxes and homeowner 's insurance, possibly in one or two payments a year. '' After receiving this letter, I believed the situation had been resolved. However, on XX/XX/2022, we received another monthly statement and this statement stated that our Amount Due was {$1500.00}. We immediately called Mr. Cooper and reminded them of our request to close our escrow account. We reiterated that we would only pay them Principal and Interest. The rest of the charges would be paid to each company directly. We requested a new bill. 

A few days after this conversation, we received another letter dated XX/XX/2022, stating, " We received your inquiry on XX/XX/2022, to remove the collection for hazard insurance from your monthly payment. Your request to cancel the hazard insurance has been processed accordingly. Mr. Cooper will continue to collect for and issue payment on your property taxes. '' We contacted Mr. Cooper again, and the agent stated that we had never requested to completely close our escrow account. We reminded them of the letter dated XX/XX/2022 and ask to speak to a manager. We spoke to XXXX XXXX, Executive Resolutions Team. She dismissed the information and stated that a new request would need to be submitted. 

We have been dealing with this very stressful situation for a few weeks now and would like an immediate and final resolution. Mr. Cooper has been given numerous opportunities to correct the situation, however they refuse to do so.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation