Consumer complaint received 2024-08-29
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — Escrow, taxes, or insurance
Company: FB FINANCIAL CORPORATION (TN)

We bought our home in XXXX. At the time we bought our home, the community we lived in had been deannexed from the XXXX XXXX XXXX and our last property tax obligation was in XXXX XXXX XXXX. We had three remaining deannexation tax obligations for XXXX, XXXX and the last in XXXX. In XXXX, FirstBank Mortgage was both the lender and service provider. Sometime in XXXX, they switched to a new service provider, XXXX XXXX XXXX. During the switch, FirstBank ( according to XXXX ) failed to provide them with appropriate information about our supplemental tax liability to the XXXX XXXX XXXX. That year, XXXX failed to pay our XXXX property taxes and sent us a check for an escrow overage. Not realizing the error, we used the money for home renovations. In XXXX, we received a delinquent tax notice from the XXXX XXXX XXXX stating we failed to pay taxes for XXXX and stating we owed {$740.00} for our last supplemental tax payment to the City. It took a number of phone calls and faxes to XXXX to try and get the issue resolved which resulted in us having a negative escrow balance to which we started paying extra each month to build back up. During that time period, XXXX negligently over paid the XXXX XXXX XXXX for XXXX further depleting our escrow account. Again, it took a lot of time and resources to correct this error. We were also promised that penalties and fees would likely be covered by FirstBank since the error was their mistake, however, we never received any notice that FirstBank covered the penalties and fees due to XXXX XXXX failure to pay our taxes timely and over paying. In XXXX, we received a new escrow analysis which increased our mortgage payments by several XXXX dollars. Prior to this, we had been paying extra towards our principal in hopes of paying off our home quicker. This set us back. We reached out to FirstBank about paying the escrow shortage and were told the only way we could do that was by sending them a check via XXXX mail or XXXX  at our expense. We declined to do either and was appalled that they would not allow us to pay with a debit card over the phone or pay it online. It's like they wanted to keep us in the hole. In around the spring of XXXX, we learned that FirstBank was once again changing service providers. The new service provider is XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email from FirstBank notifying me that property taxes had been paid in the amount of {$740.00}. Today I checked the account because the amount seemed to low for the amount we owed to XXXX XXXX. Upon further investigation, I learned that the amount was allegedly paid to the XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

I first tried to chat with a customer service rep about the issue today. The rep informed me that the tax amount had been paid, because XXXX received a bill from the XXXX XXXX XXXX, which was a lie because I checked with the XXXX XXXX XXXX following the chat and they confirmed that a bill was not sent and to date, they do not have any record of the payment. When I asked the FirstBank rep that I was chatting with to provide me with a copy of the tax bill received, she informed me that I would have to upload that request through the Help option on the menu and offered no other support or help. Since I hit a dead end on the chat, I decided to call XXXXXXXX XXXX tax department. 

I reached out to the tax department today and spoke to a rep named XXXX. Although very kind and respectful, XXXX could not do much to help me. After I explained the many issues we have had with service providers on our loan, the only remedy he came up with is for me to send documentation showing we did not owe for XXXX and informing me that I should have a refund after 60 days. I asked him if he could research my account and why they could not contact the XXXX XXXX XXXX to get information on our tax obligations. This is ridiculous and unacceptable. For almost two years now, we have had issues with FirstBank Mortgage and its negligent service providers. It is their responsibility to ensure taxes and insurance on the property are paid correctly and timely and they have failed us on numerous occasions. Our remaining supplemental tax for the years of XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX have all been satisfied. 

I have sent documentation to the lender and the previous service provider ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) on multiple occasions about our tax obligations and asked them repeatedly correct this issue as it related to the XXXX XXXX XXXX. I no longer have confidence in First Bank or its service providers to do what it right so this has led me to file a complaint here and with the XXXX XXXX XXXX. My husband and I are good customers and we pay our mortgage timely. We have been treated poorly by First Bank and its service providers and I will never recommend them as a lender to anyone.