Consumer complaint received 2023-09-25
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — Payment process
Company: PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC. (NV)

I have had nothing but problems with Plaza/XXXX Mortgage since I was assigned to them when I refinanced my house 6 mos. ago. I always make my payments on their website, paying half the amount due by the XXXX and the balance by the end of each month. But this company does not credit you for the first payment. Instead, they hold the payment in " suspense '' and then credit your account once the second payment is received. Since refinancing my house, Ive had to speak to their customer service agents each month about crediting my payments correctly. Several times I was told they would change the payment logic so my payments would be credited correctly, but they never are. Ive been told routinely that XXXX takes XXXX business days to credit your account. All of my payments have been made prior to the XXXX due date except the XXXX XXXX payment. That's because my husband died in XXXX. That month, with all that was involved with my husband 's funeral arrangements, etc., I made the first payment of the balance ( due XX/XX/XXXX ) on the XXXX website XX/XX/XXXX with the intention of paying the remaining balance on XXXX XXXX, before the XX/XX/XXXX grace period ended. That XX/XX/XXXX payment cleared my bank and was deducted from my account the next day, XX/XX/XXXX. However, when I attempted to pay the balance on their website on XXXX, it would not allow me to pay the balance due but would only allow me to make a FULL MONTH 'S PAYMENT even though I had already paid half the amount on XX/XX/XXXX. I called XXXX and got the biggest run around speaking to various agents. I asked if agents accept payments made over the phone and was told yes, but not in this instance because my XX/XX/XXXX payment had not yet been credited and wouldn't be credited for another week, on XX/XX/XXXX. I called back on XX/XX/XXXX only to find out that the XX/XX/XXXX payment STILL had not been credited and was again given the runaround. I asked to speak with a supervisor and someone named XXXX got on the phone and RUDELY explained that my XX/XX/XXXX payment had not been credited but was being held in " suspense '' and wouldn't be credited until XXXX XXXX AFTER THE 15-DAY-GRACE PERIOD WAS OVER. I asked why it took so long to credit a payment that had been made ON THEIR WEBSITE ON XX/XX/XXXX AND HAD BEEN DEDUCTED FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT ON XX/XX/XXXX, and he insisted " that's how long it takes '' and I need to make 2 payments in one month. He suggested I pay with XXXX XXXX or XXXX who charge a $ XXXX fee respectively. I told him that rather than go through that unnecessary expense, I would wait one more day and see if my payment had been credited, but on XX/XX/XXXX it still had not been credited. So, on XX/XX/XXXX I paid {$28.00} to send a check by USPS Express 1-day mail. I sent it to the address the XXXX Mortgage agent gave me : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX The XXXX agent said their office would be open Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, and I could call to confirm receipt and find out when my account would be credited. I tracked the USPS letter which confirmed it arrived and was signed for by XXXX XXXX on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX I called on XX/XX/XXXX and was told it would take 5 business days before my payment would be credited. Today is XXXX XXXX and I still have not been credited for my XXXX payment. THIS COMPANY INTENTIONALLY DELAYS CUSTOMER PAYMENTS instead of giving them immediate credit for mortgage payments in order to keep customers from saving on interest charges. Their website is set up to NOT allow customers to alter the pre-set payment amount that appears in the payment window on their website. Their rigid payment protocol favors the company - not the consumer. Currently, I can not make my XX/XX/XXXX payment on their website because, according to them, the XXXX payment has not been made yet. But I made the full XXXX payment on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and I would have preferred to make that XX/XX/XXXX payment on XXXX had I been allowed to do so. Something needs to be done about their deceptive, shady business practices. NO MORTGAGE COMPANY SHOULD BE ABLE TO WIELD THIS MUCH POWER OVER THEIR CUSTOMERS PAYMENTS CONTROLLING WHEN AND HOW MUCH THE CUSTOMER CAN OR CANT PAY AND CONTROLLING HOW LONG THE COMPANY CAN DELAY CREDITING THEIR CUSTOMERS ACCOUNTS. At the very least, this company needs to be cited and fined for its unethical, unfair and illegal business practices.