Consumer complaint received 2018-04-09
Product: Mortgage — Other type of mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — 
Company: SELECT PORTFOLIO SERVICING, INC. (NJ)

My problem started when XXXX  XXXX XXXX sold my loan to Select Portfolio Servicing. ( SPS ) In XX/XX/XXXX I let SPS know that my husband lost his job and asked if they could help us. The relationship manger informed me to apply for assistance on line and they would help me with making home affordable. I immediately filled out the application on line, with the assistance of the rep that was kind enough to stay on the phone w/ me. I did exactly as I was told by SPS. Uploaded all the documents .The rep called me in two days to follow up with me and assured me they had all documents needed and to call them back in once a week to check on status that the Modification, I was also told a modification usually takes about 30 days. 
From that moment I called every single week ( XXXX END XXXX ) to check on the status of my modification and to see if they needed any additional documents and I was REPEATEDLY told over and over that they had all documents and I needed to be patient. During those months of waiting I would call 2 or 3 times a week and sit on the phone at least 6 hours a week with a different rep and they would all have something DIFFERENT to say. No one ever said the same thing. I followed there direction and there advice even though they all had something different to say. 
When XXXX approached I began to worry because I knew Making Home Affordable program was going to come to an end. I panicked because I thought for sure SPS was NOT going to help me. But as always SPS would turn on the charm and tell you that I had Nothing to worry about and that I was safe and the house had No Sheriff Sale or was in danger of being foreclosed on. They also would were also very kind to always assure me that even if making home affordable was over they had there own Special in house programs that help everyone. I never ever gave it a thought that SPS was lying to me or were they misleading until ... 
XX/XX/XXXX, as I was on the phone with XXXX from SPS checking the status of my modification, the doorbell rings and this crazy woman served me with Foreclosure Documents. ( Also this unkind woman went to both of my neighbors because she felt she needed to tell them my house was in foreclosure ) Obviously I was confused because I had been told repeatedly that my house was NOT in foreclosure. 
Meanwhile XXXX was on the phone with me the entire time. XXXX couldn't believe what had just happened that when telling him SPS just was served me with foreclosure documents, he immediately told me it wasn't from SPS. 
I was so upset and expressed to XXXX, how confused I was and how did this happen and he expressed he was also confused .He told me that in his system it wasn't showing my home was in foreclosure. I emailed him the documents so he could see for himself and he was just as surprised I was. He also expressed that he did not believe the documents were from SPS because he said there offices are based in UTAH and the law firm on the documents were from New Jersey! 
I left numerous emails for my relationship manager so he could help me but no one calls back. I was getting sick of calling and everyone telling me the home isn't in foreclosure but you have the documents in your hand. 
After 4 hours on the phone with him he obviously did not help me. 4 days later and 25 phone calls I finally was able to get help in the Ombudsman dept. 
They apologized to me and explained that I was lost in the system and they made a mistake but I was indeed in foreclosure. 
Now that SPS was able to confirm I was truly in foreclosure I now knew I had to go find an attorney to help me answer the foreclosure and some how stop it. 
The foreclosure was stopped. 
I communicated everyday with the Ombudsman dept so they could assist me, I was still very nervous knowing that, Making Home affordable was no longer existence, how were they going to help me now. But I was assured that they had there in house program and they wanted to help me. 
They first offered me a modification for {$12000.00} a month .I was speechless. Who in there right mind can afford a payment that high. I then asked the rep how did they come up with that figure, since SPS has all my financial information and its obvious that if you calculate both salaries the income amount is less than then new monthly payment offered. I had to refuse that agreement because I knew we could not afford it and we made a lot less than that {$12000.00} a month. 
-Two days Later I get another phone call from SPS they told me they went to bat for me with the under writers, to help me and get the best deal for me the new payment would be {$8800.00} a month. 
Still confused and not understanding where they were coming up with that figure knowing I could not afford it. 
-The next day SPS calls me and emails me and expresses the good news to me by saying they were able to offer us the same mortgage payment as before and asked if that would work for me. I became emotional and grateful at the same time and accepted the offer. SPS then explained they were going to email the agreement, and I needed to sign it and scan back to them and mail them the original and that the first payment was due on XX/XX/XXXX. I agreed to everything! 
-The next morning I received and email saying they could no longer offer me that agreement. The new agreement needed to increase. They had to add an additional amount of {$800.00} to the payment, which brought to {$5100.00}. 
I was explained that the mortgage payment had to be this amount because I was shortage in the escrow. 
I didn't know what to say, only because this entire process from the very beginning has been a struggle for me. I did EVERYTHING that SPS asked me to do. 
1. I called twice a week 2. I emailed once a week 3. I checked my account everyday for status change or document request. 
4. Followed they're direction and honesty 5. Went to HUD counselor and asked for help. 
I was still confused, not understanding and not knowing how under writing or management could come up with these Payments with having all my financial information Since XX/XX/XXXX. All of this doesn't make sense I feel like its guessing game to see if the customer says yes to payment. 
When speaking with management I expressed to her my gratefulness and appreciation for all the help but I needed to be honest and told her I didn't think that I could afford a monthly payment of {$5100.00}, only because the company I work for wasnt doing well and there were rumors they might close and I was afraid I may lose my job soon. 
I was assured it would be okay and convinced to take the agreement to save the home and then down the line SPS would help me again if needed. 
Well I lost my job and can not afford the {$5100.00} a month which I let SPS know upfront. 
After a year as of XX/XX/XXXX the mortgage has gone up to {$6700.00} a month because they said I never paid the shortage of the escrow. 
When they gave me the agreement in min XX/XX/XXXX they told me that they could not honor the original payment it had to increase because I had to pay the shortage on the escrow. Now when I questioned them of why the mortgage is so high they said my taxes went up which caused the escrow to be short. I recently called the town to see if my taxes did go up {$11000.00}. a year and they said it only increased {$900.00} a year. 
I now I can not afford this new mortgage payment with not being employed. 
I did notify SPS, that I lost my job and asked for help and they said they could not help me. 
I sent them my unemployment documents as requested and they denied me assistance. I think this was there intention all along. 
Now I need help and SPS does not want to help me. 


Now that I look back at the agreement that was offered to me I never realized they were adding all these Late fees, Surcharges and additional Fees to my mortgage balances where the mortgage balance is now outrageous. 
I was never told me they would add all these fees to the mortgage. 
SPS knows that they took there time modifying me and they delayed the process of the modification and wasted so many months they should of been fair and honest by waiving some of the fees to help me not hurt my family and I. 
I should have been more careful and not believed anyone at SPS that they wanted to help me. I just don't know what I could have done to get someone to be honest and guided me and walked me through all the different programs they offer to help me. Many of the representatives at SPS are very nice but its obvious they don't care about the consumer and no one communicates with each other because they all misguide you with different information. 
What can I do to save my home .Do I start all over again! 
Please help