Consumer complaint received 2021-08-09
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — 
Company: CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC (NJ)

In 2018 I ran into financial distress when my VA benefits were cut in half. Apparently the VA was sending the other half of my benefits to my deceased wife. It took many months to convince them she was dead and to restore my full benefits. At the time when that happened the total amount that was due was about {$15000.00}. I hired Mr. XXXX who helps people to re-modify their mortgages when they get into trouble. He has had great success with this so I had faith the problem would be solved within months. However, this was not the case. Since he is familiar with the process I gave him all of the documents necessary to resolve this issue but got no cooperation from the mortgage company. Over a one year period the mortgage company began a cycle of repeatedly asking for the same documents over and over. After a 2 month period of being stonewalled about the status they would ask for the same documents again claiming they were out of date. This happened about 6 times before they sold the mortgage account to the company that holds it now. There was no warning and i was informed by mail about 2 months later. The company that holds it now engaged in the same game. Somehow this company was more insidious refusing to send a letter, an email or text of what exactly was necessary to resolve this issue. Mr. XXXX asked them several times and was stonewalled repeatedly. After about 2 months of getting nowhere he resigned from this assignment out of frustration. This company claimed to have received nothing but i received a green return receipt for certified mail. although he was unwilling to continue he advised me to send all of the documents that he knew were necessary to successfully re-modify a mortgage. I did as he instructed and about a week latter received letters claiming my application was incomplete but there was no information on what documents they needed. I called and asked and sent the exact documents that i was told were needed. About a week later i received letters claiming i did not send the right documents but yet again there was no information about what documents were needed. After about dozen times sending in the documents they asked for and being told they were not the right ones and to start the whole process again I understood MrXXXX XXXX reasons for quitting this assignment. This process has been going on for about a year now and i have had enough. I am XXXX years old and this process has driven me to the brink.I got sick and was hospitalized several months ago. 
My son decided to try to help me because he has XXXX XXXX experience. Even he said there is something very suspicious about this entire situation. He has said as well as Mr. XXXX that this company is refusing to cooperate to ride out the moratorium so they can take my house. Because of this I do not believe this company is acting in good faith. If the original mortgage company had been honestly negotiating when i was only behind by {$15000.00} I would be back to my normal life. I have read the regulations and laws regarding VA mortgages and even though it is written in legalese I believe there is some criminal or at least civil wrongdoing. This company needs to be fully investigated by the DOJ, VA and the attorney general of the state of California. I know i am not the only mortgagee that is being screwed over by this company. I am an old man and i served my country fighting in XXXX. No-one should have to go through something like this.