Consumer complaint received 2017-07-15
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — 
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (VA)

Citimortgage purchased my loan from a previous company. When they did, my loan was changed from a 30 year fixed to a 10 year fixed, which I was not aware of at the time. My husband and I are both XXXX, and have both had extreme difficulty finding work. One or both of us was out of work for most of a decade. In 2008, I found a permanent job, and requested a loan modification, which was finally granted after intervention from my then Congressman. I was comfortably paying interest only for quite some time. Eventually, principal was added, and given the loan was changed to 10 years, the payments were substantial. Still, for years we pushed through and paid it, mostly relying on my business earnings plus salaries for various jobs.
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Unfortunately, my client base shrank, and we are relying on our salaries. My current salary is 2x my husbands, yet I am still paying 100 % of my take home to pay the mortgage. I have lived in my home for 26 years, and have modified it extensively. Moving would exacerbate my XXXX, and I truly do not want to move. As part of my XXXX, I am unable to use a voice telephone. This issue alone caused a delay of several weeks, as Citibank refused to give me information on how to contact Citimortgage via fax, email, chat, or another accessible manner. I am not deaf, and do not use TTY, which is the only other method they gave me for contact.
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Eventually, I was given a fax number. I faxed my request onXX/XX/XXXX, and received an email on XX/XX/XXXX, saying it had been received. I then waited waited another several weeks with no response. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX XXXX XXXX, introducing himself as a Single Point of Contact with the Executive Response Unit of Citimortgage, asking me what type of assistance I required. I reiterated my request for a years forbearance, or a conversion to a 30 year and asking whether he had seen the fax. Meantime, on XX/XX/XXXX I received an email claiming they had not received payment for XXXX. I faxed proof of payment immediately, and sent an email to XXXX XXXX asking him for assistance. XX/XX/XXXX, I received notification the fax was received. I emailed XXXX XXXX  again on XX/XX/XXXX, asking regarding the payment issue. XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX respond, apologizing for the delay, and asking further questions. I responded immediately, and received another rapid email where I could not have a forbearance plan, and telling me they could do a mod or a refinance, but a refinance would have negative impact on my credit rating.
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The next day, I requested more information on the email I was sent by XXXX XXXX. I received no response. XX/XX/XXXX, I wrote again asking for assistance. There was no response. XX/XX/XXXX I wrote again. Still no response. XX/XX/XXXX wrote again, copying the Executive Response Unit general email. No response. XX/XX/XXXX, same. Meantime, I contacted Citibank on social media asking for a response. I was told I would receive a response within 24 to 48 hours. I did not. I requested via social media again to get a response. I received an apology and the same promise of 24 to 48 hours, still without a response.
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Simultaneously, the payment issue continued.XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email saying I needed to check my account online, where I found my payment had been applied to principal. Knowing this would be a problem, as it was still showing I was late with my payment, I faxed a request to properly credit the account the same day. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received verification the fax had arrived. I received nothing regarding this until an email on XX/XX/XXXX, telling me there was a balance unapplied, making my mortgage short by XXXX and directing me to call them. As they have been made aware over and over that I do not use voice telephones, I responded to the email also onXX/XX/XXXX and which was ignored.
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On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Citimortgage declaring my loan in default, and demanding XXXX including XXXX in late charges. Again it directed me to call them.
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In summary, despite receiving a Single Point of Contact, I have been waiting since XXXX for a response on how I can modify my mortgage and keep my home. In the meantime, Citimortgage has further failed to provide adequate information regarding a purported late fee and claimed past due payment, which I believe is directly due to their misapplying a previous payment, then claiming I was late.
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The XXXX of declaring my loan in default, and the XXXX of struggling to pay the mortgage is unbearable and having negative impact on my physical and emotional health. I am beside myself trying to get a response from the bank. Customers deserve better than this.