Consumer complaint received 2022-10-04
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — 
Company: CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC (VA)

The Covid Forbearance started on XXXX. The forbearance ended the end of XX/XX/XXXX. At this point we contacted mortgage company XXXX Carrington Mortgage Services , LLC ), to find out our next steps. We were told that our paperwork will be streamlined for a loan modification and that there is nothing to be done at this time, however the underwriters are backed up and the process could take anywhere from 90 days or more. At the end of 90 days we reached out to XXXX to check the status but were told that a decision had not been made yet about our loan modification. In XXXX of XXXX we were finally told that the streamline process was denied because we were already at the lowest interest rate. The reality was that we were not trying to get the lowest interest rate rather, a modification on monthly payments. 
After the denial we gathered our paperwork to submit information on financial struggles such as medical and or reduction in job hours and at one point XXXXt which in XXXX of XXXX. We also included medical conditions which occurred in XXXX further impacting our finances. On XXXX, the loan modification paperwork was submitted. This came back rejected with a statement that we needed to provide updated past three months of finances. On XXXX another packet was submitted for review. Then for approximately 2 months we were told that they could not access our credit because one of us continues to have a locked account. We later found out that XXXX was not only frozen but was also locked ( this was uncovered only after we took pictures and sent it via email to the loan modification unit ). This unfortunately continued due to my own confusion ( about unfreezing vs unlocking an account ). 

During this entire experience communication was never really clear with XXXX. We always had to call to try to get a clear picture and escalate call after call in order to try to figure out why we kept being rejected. Frankly, we spoke to several people in the loan modification unit/and the home retention unit but no one ever really guided us on making sure and ask us why the credit reporting account was still locked. I did not realize this error ( to not only unlock my account with XXXX but unfreeze until it was too late ). Then the final blow was when we were told on XX/XX/XXXX that we were denied and that their suggestion was to liquidate and or deed in lieu of foreclosure. We also received a letter telling us the same thing and that we could deny liquidation by the XXXX of XXXX and appeal this decision by the XX/XX/XXXX. We were never told that this would actually mean that we would be in foreclosure ( found this out today by phone-XXXX XXXX XXXX ), and that we would need to appeal immediately. As well the letter stated that during this process we could pay our mortgage ( today we were also told that because we are in foreclosure we could not make any mortgage payments ). 

This whole experience has been horrific and beyond stressful. With extremely unclear communication and very little guidance we are now in an extreme financial hole, due to the added fees which were added to the loan during the loan modification process and the delays. To be exact we now owe more than 58,000 dollars in added fees on top of our loan all because of frankly sheer ignorance and trusting that they were ultimately going to help us with a modified loan. Our credit scores are now seriously impacted and we are at risk of losing our home. 

We would like some sort of investigation to see if 1 ) if these fees are exorbitant 2 ) and now that the crediting bureau 's are now all open and we appeal, will foreclosure stop and will an actual modification take place.