Consumer complaint received 2023-02-06
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: Movement Mortgage LLC (FL)

I am a XXXX veteran that is XXXX XXXX total and permanently XXXX. I obtained my VA XXXX loan through Movement Mortgage. After I secured the loan and the home, I applied for my XXXX veterans homestead exemption, which allows me not to pay property taxes through XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) and state ( Florida ). After I obtained the exemption from XXXX XXXX, I contacted them and they advised me that my mortgage company has been sent a copy of my exemption, and the form clearly indicates that I am exempt from paying property taxes. 

I contacted Movement Mortgage in XX/XX/XXXX to advise them of the exemption and also to provide them with a copy of my exemption, to which I uploaded a copy into my profile at the Movement Mortgage website. When I spoke to someone in the XXXX department, they advised me that it would take approximately XXXX weeks to process and that I would be mailed a check for the overage or refund. 

I then wanted to check on the process to obtain a status and also to ensure that they were performing the action that their representative indicated would be completed. When I called, it was not approximately XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. When I spoke to someone in the XXXX department, they indicated that a refund had been process in the amount ( approximately ), {$5600.00} USD. I asked the representative when could I expect the refund check and they advised in about 3 weeks. 

In the interim, no check had been received at my residence and it was three weeks later and so I called Movement Mortgage on XX/XX/XXXX to check on the progress on my request and I was met with confusion. The company processed my call with the customer service department and once I explained my issues, they immediately transferred me to the Tax department. Then, once I explained to them the issue and that I should not be charged taxes because I am a XXXX veteran, I was told that I needed to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX accessor. I then advised the representative that I had already contacted them and they had provided Movement Mortgage with a copy of the exemption and that they had proof that XXXX had received the exemption, the representative put me on hold to look at the issue. Once the representative came back on the phone, I was advised that a refund has been processed on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. I then advised them that I was aware of the refund and wanted to know when I would receive it because it had been three weeks and I had not received anything in the mail. 

The representative advised that they did not have all the information and that the customer service department could provide me more details. I then asked the representative to connect me with a supervisor because she was unable to understand what I was trying to convey and when she transferred me, I got the customer service department and no supervisor. 

I then had re-authenticate again and once I did that and explained my issue, the representative said that I needed to speak to the tax department and I advised that I was just transferred from the tax department and that I was trying to get some answers as to the status of my refund and also the status of my tax exemption. The representative then transferred me back to the tax department. 

Once I was back on with the tax department, I spoke to a representative that listened to what I was conveying and decided to investigate the issue. He then advised me that Movement did have an exemption for me being XXXX XXXX  XXXX and that I should not be charged taxes. However, he advised me that Movement was still charging me property taxes and that should not be happening. He further advised me that I had a refund issued but he could not advise on the status or where it was because the department that manages the tax refunds was the escrow department. I asked him if I could speak with the escrow department and he advised that he could not because they can not even contact escrow. Additionally, he advised me that I have an overage that is ongoing and that the money that was being collected should not be happening and that the amount was approximately {$2300.00} USD. He stated that he would launch an investigation to get to the matter and I advised him that one had already been launched back in XXXX and upon further investigation he confirmed it and said that he was going to look into it anyway. He also said that the customer service department has the information and that I needed to let them know the status of my paying my XXXX taxes and current taxes that should not be collected and that I had a right to receive those funds because they should not be collected in the first place. 

I was then transferred back to customer service and had to go through this process again and after explaining it to the representative again, she looked into all of the notes and confirmed everything the previous representative advised and also said that Escrow has the money and that they could not contact them or speak to them and that they did not know what was going on. She also advised me that there was nothing else she could do because Escrow was handling the issues, although no one could contact Escrow to ask about what is going on. 

At this point, I am extremely upset and angry at this process because Movement has received proper documentation and notification about my property tax exemption ; however, they do not comply in refunding me my money that they should not have collected. They continue to collect property tax money despite being notified in writing that I am not to be charged and no once can assist me. Currently, I am exploring legal action against Movement and would like this issue to be resolved.