Consumer complaint received 2021-09-14
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: Onity Group Inc. (CA)

Re : XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX Acct # XXXX Our Mortgage lender : XXXX Mortgage XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, NJ XXXX Dear CFPB, Early this year ( XXXX ) PHH bought my mortgage from the previous lender. in initial calls I had with them, they informed me I could defer making mortgage payments for 3 months due to covid 19. I accepted it under the main condition that at the end of the 3 month period, PHH would NOT ask me for a lump sum of deferred 3 months worth of payments and that instead they would ( just like many other lenders ) would add that to my back-end loan and that I would resume making my regular monthly mortgage payments. The rep from PHH assured me I had that option in the recorded call. After 3 months, since I did not hear fro
m PHH, I did what a responsible customer would do. I made a payment to them and also after many attempts was able to speak with PHH rep XXXX ID # XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. To my surprise, she informed me that " due to government rules '' PHH had automatically deferred my payments until XX/XX/XXXX and that I didn't had to make the previous payment. She went further-on and assured me that once again these deferred payments would be added to my back-end loan and that I wouldn't be faced with a hefty lump sum payment come XX/XX/XXXX. 

After receiving conflicting letters from PHH, on XX/XX/XXXX I spoke with XXXX XXXX ID # XXXX. To my shock and surprise she then informed me that my plan somehow was not in the forbearance plan and that I had to make a lump sum of $ XXXX payment!! when I asked her about the recent letter I had received from PHH about $ XXXX lumps payment, she had no answer. 

After this call, I tried many times and this time they assigned me to an escalation manager : XXXX ID # XXXX. She provided me her number of XXXX ext XXXX. She refused to provide me with her email address. After a lengthy conversation, she said she was going to look into this matter and that she would follow up with me. After playing phone tags few times, despite many emails I sent to her department and voice mails I left her, she has thus far refused to call and speak to me. 

In my original conversations with PHH, I obtained assurance from their agents that these deferred payments would be added to the backend of my loan and that they would not ask me for a lump sum of payment when deferment ended. If that was the case, I would have never signed up for it.

Working with PHH, it's XXXX and also their other email of XXXX has been a nightmare for me and my family. Only thing they reply is a generic email. They do not bother to call me to help. their agents are extremely difficult to work with with zero transparency. 

once again to my surprise, I recently received a letter that they have now deferred my payments until XX/XX/XXXX????? without my consent!! they have further gone and reported late payments to my credit!!! 

Their actions has and keep causing me and my family much stress and difficulties on top all the hardships we face due to covid XXXX they have made it very difficult to work with them. every time I have spoke with different people fro PHH, Im provided with conflicting information. 

I ask you ( CFPB ) to please step in a help us. 

Thank you your time ( CFPB ).