Consumer complaint received 2020-01-17
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: STANDARD MORTGAGE CORPORATION (TN)

I am refinancing my house - XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX, TN XXXX My new mortgage got the title back and it said the CITY taxes of {$480.00} were unpaid. 
I called Standard Mortgage ( my account number is XXXX ) where my current mortgage is on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX and spoke to XXXX. ( XXXX, XXXX & XXXX ) He said the check for my city taxes were paid by a check on XX/XX/XXXX. ( My taxes were due XX/XX/XXXX so there is now a late fee assessed. ) XXXX checked while I was on the phone and said the check had NOT cleared yet. ( 21 days later ) He said he would call me back that day when he contacted the City of XXXX. ( XXXX ). He never called back. I called back at XXXX XXXX and was told that department goes home at XXXX. 
Weds. XX/XX/XXXX I called their customer service number at XXXX XXXX  and XXXX XXXX and had to leave a message since no one answered the phone you had to leave a message. 
Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX I called at XXXX to the customer service number XXXX and it said the mailbox was full and you could not leave a message. I called back at XXXX and got the same message that their mailbox was full. 
I had called the City of XXXX on Tuesday and confirmed they never received payment. 
On Thursday I called 3 other numbers, emailed their customer service. After I left work XXXX XXXX called me back on my work number and left two messages on my work phone - but I was gone for the day. They say they called me twice on my cell phone but I didn't miss any calls nor get any calls. 
I mentioned in an email I was going to contact CFPB as this is a violation of Regulation X, I work in Compliance at a bank. Overnight several of them answered by email. They keep sending me messages saying the taxes per paid. I emailed back the City has not received them, they must have a policy in place when that happens. 
I called back this morning, Friday, XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX XXXX at XXXX Ext XXXX. She said my taxes were paid, I told her I know they sent a check but it was never received. She said she would have to check with their escrow dept. I asked for the escrow department 's phone number and she said they do not talk to the public. I told her to wire the money to the City as Monday is a XXXX XXXX. She said " It is a process, it isn't just your check, it is checks for a lot of people. '' I said - everyone 's taxes were not paid or received? She back tracked and said she didn't know, it was a process and she would check with the escrow dept. and get back to me. By XXXX she has not. 
I received an email from XXXX XXXX saying it was Check # XXXX for {$480.00} to the City of XXXX. 
I wrote her back and reiterated the check WAS NOT RECEIVED! 
I have called the city back and they do not accept wires, but online payments with a credit card are accepted. I emailed XXXX XXXX and gave her detailed instructions on how to make an online payment on my behalf. 
Oddly enough, the women I have spoken to have the same last name - XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. 
This is stalling my refinance since clear title can not be obtained without the taxes being up to date. Once I mentioned CFPB they were scared and started answering me but this is ridiculous. I asked XXXX XXXX why no one answers the phone and the mailbox is full and you can't even leave a message. She said - it's not just you, lots of customers are leaving messages or trying to pay their mortgages online. 
Something is up and I just want my taxes paid. It could just be an error but in 3 days of repeated calls and emails on my part it is still not resolved and it is a holiday weekend. 
Something is fishy with Standard Mortgage. 
Please help! 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX