Consumer complaint received 2023-05-30
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC (FL)

This complaint is in regard to my mortgage company Carrington Mortgage Services , LLC refusing to apply payments that I received from the Florida Homeowner Assistant Fund Program ( HAF ). Carrington has agreed with HAF to apply monthly payments to my mortgage account. 

I received a letter from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity via email on XXXX XXXX. The letter stated that I was granted monthly assistance for my mortgage payments of {$720.00} to help put me back on track. Also, to help keep my payments up-to-date for the next 6 months starting XX/XX/XXXX, to be paid directly to Carrington Mortgage Services , LLC . I was also granted a lump sum payment of {$3800.00} to take care of my past due amounts to bring my loan current again. 

To the best of my knowledge, payments were applied correctly to my mortgage account, and my account status is current. As today, my next payment is scheduled for XX/XX/XXXX. 

The reason I am bringing this to your attention is due to the last payment I have received from the HAF program that was sent XX/XX/XXXX, was not applied to my monthly payment, instead it was applied to the principal. 

I have experienced this same situation in XXXX and XXXX and have successfully contacted Carrington Mortgage customer service department to ask the representative to reverse the payment from principal and apply the payment to the mortgage payment. 

When I noticed that this happened again in XXXX, I called customer service the same manner as I did in the past, and requested for the payment to be reversed and applied to the payment that is due XX/XX/XXXX, so my next payment would be due XX/XX/XXXX. I was denied this request by XXXX XXXX in late-stage collections. She read to me a letter that she stated that she received the letter from the HAF program that gave specific instructions to apply payments to the principal if anything was left over. 

I called the HAF department and spoke with a representative by the name of XXXX on a three-way call with XXXX with Carrington XXXX XXXX spoke directly to XXXX and advised her that the instructions that she stated she received is a false statement. It is in fact a direct violation of the federal guidelines and the State of Florida that Carrington has agreed to uphold. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent an email to XXXX to send me a copy of the letter of the special instructions. I have not received a copy of that letter to this date. 

I decided to try to call Carrington one more time today, before filing this complaint to see if there were any changes made that I was not informed. I spoke with customer service representative XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX. I explained my situation and then she escalated me to her supervisor in the escalation department by the name of XXXX  XXXX. XXXX has reiterated to me that there is a special letter sent by the HAF program to apply any overages to the principal. 

I asked XXXX to transfer me to her supervisor or someone that is enforcing this rule, but instead she stated she has submitted another request to reverse the funds, and she will follow up with me on XX/XX/XXXX. I no longer trust this process, and I feel like my funds are not being handled in the manner that has been agreed upon. I am respectfully asking for your assistance to help resolve this matter as quickly as possible. 

I have attached all correspondences I have received and sent in regard to this matter. I hope this documentation will help answer some questions you may have, if not, please reach out to me directly for more information.