Consumer complaint received 2020-03-16
Company: Shellpoint Partners, LLC
State: NH
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX we closed on our home with a conventional loan. The company who services our loan is NewRez LLC also known as Shellpoint. 

Our property taxes were due on XX/XX/XXXX. We received the bill in late XX/XX/XXXX and mailed in the coupon to NewRez c/o Shellpoint using the address for payments. While we are aware this is not a necessary step, I have always done this to ensure that information is shared. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, we received a Notice of Delinquent Taxes. We were informed that the property taxes were not paid and that a lien would be placed upon our home if payment was not made by XX/XX/XXXX. Late fees were also incurred. 

We immediately contacted NewRez aka Shellpoint using their one and only customer service number. Our first call was on XX/XX/XXXX. We then made additional calls and were instructed to send a copy of the bill and the notice of delinquent taxes to their email address. We scanned and sent both the tax bill and the notice of delinquent taxes on XX/XX/XXXX. We received an email several hours later stating the email is un-monitored however after additional phone calls, it was confirmed they received the email. 

We have made no less than 20 phone calls to NewRez aka Shellpoint speaking with several customer service representatives, specialists and one manager XXXX XXXX who assured me on XX/XX/XXXX that she would call me back on XX/XX/XXXX and did not. I left her a message that afternoon with no response. 

We also contacted XXXX who is the 3rd party property tax services company for NewRez aka Shellpoint and spoke with them as well as filed a formal complaint via email on XX/XX/XXXX. They stated receipt of the email on XX/XX/XXXX. 

We spoke with XXXX, New Hampshire Town Tax Collector. No payment has been received. They also stated that we would have to pay the taxes via cashier check. They stated that they would not refund our money and if and when NewRez/Shellpoint pays the tax bill, they would have to return the check upon receipt. 

We also spoke with XXXX XXXX from NH housing as to how to best proceed. He helped us find this website. 

At this time, we have 7 days to pay our property taxes before a lien is placed on our home. We have contacted the title company who performed our closing who confirmed that NewRez accepted payment and placed our money into escrow. We also confirmed with NewRez that there is more than sufficient funds in our escrow account to pay the property taxes. 

We have not missed any mortgage payments, or made a late payment. At this time we have overpaid by one month ( as many homeowners do ). 

We have exhausted every avenue short of going into litigation-which may be our next step as we took money out of our savings to create a cashier 's check for the property taxes plus late fees which is slightly over {$4000.00} We want to make sure that we get our money back into savings as NewRez/Shellpoint now has over {$7000.00} our our money in escrow. 

Our plan is to pay the tax bill with this cashier 's check on Friday XX/XX/XXXX if the town of XXXX has not received payment from OUR escrow account by this date. 

We are frustrated. We were told by XXXX XXXX that we are not the only account services by NewRez/Shellpoint experiencing this situation. She stated that she has noticed a cluster of calls and complaints of unpaid property taxes and had no explanation for us as to why this has occurred. 

We are seeking support as of what to do next in this situation. Our NewRez/Shellpoint account number is XXXX.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation