Consumer complaint received 2021-02-22
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: GUARANTEED RATE INC. (IL)

Escrow Fee Dispute This is in regards to delinquent property taxes that Guaranteed Rate failed to pay from my escrow account. My payments have been current since the mortgage began and my escrow account has been fully funded. Guaranteed Rate failed to pay my property taxes on time and then deducted the interest payment from my escrow account ( this is their legal responsibility since they paid late ). 

I have been charged a fee of {$150.00} that needs to be refunded to my escrow account. In all of my past mortgages, the services have never had an issue paying property taxes out of escrow which is the purpose of the account. 

XX/XX/2020 : Property taxes for XXXX XXXX were due. Since I am in escrow and have always had escrow make my property tax payments and insurance payments, I trusted that Guaranteed Rate would properly pay my property taxes. Apparently, Guaranteed Rate let the deadline pass without notifying me and should therefore pay the delinquent fee that they caused. The escrow account is fully funded and they have all of the information they need via closing documents and public record to pay these property taxes. 

XX/XX/2020 : A letter was sent from Guaranteed Rate escrow that stated my property taxes were listed as ( TBA ). Property taxes are available as public record so Guaranteed Rate has access to the bill. Why does Guaranteed Rate not look on the XXXX XXXX Assessors website to get property tax information? 

Called XX/XX/XXXX : I was told that Guaranteed Rate did not have my tax information and that I should send the bill to the email listed below and they would pay the taxes. 

XX/XX/2020 I emailed XXXX with a copy of my property taxes. Again, I should not have to tell my mortgage servicer to pay my bills every time they come due. It is their responsibility since my mortgage is current and paid every month and escrow is fully funded. 

Called XX/XX/XXXX : I called because property taxes still had not been paid from my escrow account. Customer service agent says oh, yes I see that you emailed them on XX/XX/XXXX. I will open an order with escrow to make sure those are paid out by XX/XX/XXXX. There will not be any fees added. 

Called XX/XX/XXXX : I called to confirm that taxes would be paid from my account on XX/XX/XXXX and am told yes, they will be. That is what the note says. 

Called XX/XX/XXXX : I called because my property taxes were not paid out of escrow by XX/XX/XXXX as promised. I am told that the work order is still open and to give it a few days. I am also told not to worry because I will not be charged any fees. They will only pay the base tax bill from escrow. 

Called XX/XX/XXXX : I am told that the escrow payment work order was opened on XX/XX/XXXX and has a 10 day turnaround ( Why was this not opened on XX/XX/XXXX when I emailed my property tax bill or on XX/XX/XXXX when I called and they started the note to escrow and confirmed that taxes would be paid before XX/XX/XXXX when ANOTHER delinquent fee was to be charged? ). So I had to call back Friday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) because they should be paid by then Called XX/XX/XXXX : After multiple attempts, I am able to speak with a supervisor who says she will put a rush on my property tax payments and they should be paid at the base amount and no fee will be charged. 

XX/XX/2020 : Property taxes are paid from escrow and incorrectly paid the fee of {$150.00} that is Guaranteed Rates responsibility to pay. I am surprised to see this fee that I was re-assured time and time again would not be charged. 

Called XX/XX/XXXX : I am forwarded to a supervisor who immediately forwards me to the end of call survey without speaking with me. I call again and am on hold for over 50 minutes before a XXXX tells me I have to submit a dispute. 

Side note but important : My concern is that I emailed my property taxes on XX/XX/XXXX and they were not paid out until XX/XX/XXXX. This is unacceptable when I was quoted multiple times that they would be paid on time and I would not be charged any fees. How can I trust that you will pay my taxes on time? I have 25 % down on my property and do not want escrow for this very reason. I applied and was denied coming out of escrow because this is a multi-unit property ( 3 units ). Escrow is supposed to be for the purpose of paying these bills on time so I am wondering why I need to be in escrow when I can pay them on time myself without having to make 7 phone calls and still be charged fees from an account whose purpose is to avoid this?