Consumer complaint received 2024-09-18
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbearance, short sale, deed-in-lieu, bankruptcy, or foreclosure
Company: AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC (TN)

XX/XX/XXXX of XXXX, we missed our first payment, due to partial loss of income. In XX/XX/XXXX, we contacted Amerihome Mortgage Company , LLC. to see what our options were, and we submitted our first packet for loss mitigation on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, we were granted a Special Forbearance. On XX/XX/XXXX, we called Amerihome Mortgage, where we were told that we owed a little under {$8000.00}, while on this phone call we explained that we could pay the whole past due amount right then, we were told that they could NOT take payment while we were in active forbearance, we were told we would have to wait until the forbearance period was over to make the payment. We waited until the forbearance period was over and called back in XXXX of XXXX, where we were told that we would have to submit another loss mitigation packet, that we could not make the payment because we were not under a mitigation plan. We submitted the 2nd packet, and it was completed on XX/XX/XXXX. Thus far we were told on numerous occasions that we could not make a payment. XX/XX/XXXX, we got a denial letter stating that our financial information was insufficient, we then contacted Amerihome yet again, to be told that we would need to submit another packet. XX/XX/XXXX our 3rd packet was completed. During this time, we made numerous phone calls and every time we would get misinformation. We were told we were approved. We were told that we did not have sufficient income, but when we went over the documentation that we gave them including our bank statements and bills, they did not have correct information in their system. We were told that the VA does not allow modifications. We were told that we could have made a payment this whole time. We were told that if we made XXXX payments, that we would then qualify for a modification because we then would have had 12 monthly payments showing. Please keep in mind, we would call and get told something, by the very next phone call we would be told something entirely different. We were also told that the only options they could give us were short sale, died in lieu, or foreclosure. We were also NOT told all the information for us to make sound decisions. Shortly after our denial letter on XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted a XXXX  counselor who sat in on one of our phone calls. That phone call was on XX/XX/XXXX, where we spent well over an hour and a half with a representative who told us that we do qualify for a 6-month repayment plan, it would need to go to underwriting for approval, he told us that the VA does not extend any repayment plans beyond 6 months, and that at the end of that 6 months they would re-evaluate. We then spoke with a supervisor that same day, who reiterated that the VA does not allow a repayment plan longer than 6 months, this supervisor told me to submit an appeal asking the underwriting team to reconsider our repayment plan. This same supervisor also ADMITTED that our case has been mishandled on numerous occasions. I faxed an appeal letter on XX/XX/XXXX, I again faxed it on XX/XX/XXXX, and then uploaded it to the XXXX XXXX XXXX website on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, we received a denial of appeal letter in the mail stating their decision was final and it was dated XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, we and our XXXX  counselor spoke with another representative, who explained that the information we were given on XX/XX/XXXX was incorrect, that you could ask for 24 months on a repayment plan, that the VA allows up to 24-month repayment plan. I also found out in this call, that someone opened up another loss mitigation packet without our knowledge or our authorization. I was told by this representative to write a letter to Amerihome 's underwriting department asking them for a 24-month repayment plan, I also asked for a supervisor to give me a call and that I wanted the recording of every phone call we have made since XXXX because of all the misinformation we've been given over the course of these 9 months. On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Amerihome again since I had not been given a returned phone call from their supervisor. During this phone call, I find out that the loss mitigation packet that they had opened without our knowledge, was missing information. I spoke to a supervisor who then told me that they do not give out their recorded phone calls, when I asked why, she said, and I quote " because we don't. '' On XX/XX/XXXX, I decided to take it upon myself to look up the VA guidelines for Home Lenders, where I find that it was in fact against VA guidelines for them to deny our full payment while we were in Special Forbearance based on the VA Servicer Handbook M26-4. I also found out that per the CFPB, mortgage companies have a fiduciary duty to their borrowers. By misleading us, by not acting in our best interest, and by failing to provide correct information, they have actively violated their fiduciary duty. On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted a VA loan technician, where she further explained that my findings were correct, that my best option would be to file a complaint with the CFPB, so they could open an investigation. Thus, leading me here. I also found out through this VA loan technician, that there is a new program that my mortgage company could have put us in as early as XXXX of XXXX, called the XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX and the XXXX XXXX. I believe that Amerihome Mortgage Company has purposefully misguided us, given us false information, violated VA guidelines, violated their fiduciary duty, and intentionally did not give us all the information required for us to make sound and informed decisions.