Consumer complaint received 2018-05-09
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: Ditech Financial LLC (LA)

My monthly mortgage payment should be revised to reflect that my total monthly payment is about {$980.00}, and not {$1000.00}. Ditech has continuously sought to increase my monthly mortgage payments without reason, after repeated attempts for clarification or information supporting same, and have ignored the fact that my wife and I have the Louisiana Homestead Exemption. 

A. Background My wife and I purchased the home located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, LA on about XX/XX/XXXX. In connection with that purchase, we signed a signed a mortgage loan agreement with XXXX XXXX XXXX   XXXX, our previous lender. That lender subsequently sold the loan to Ditech. From at least XX/XX/XXXX up until at least XX/XX/XXXX we made payments to payments on this loan towards the principal, interest, and escrow account each successive month in the amount of {$980.00}, the total amount of our monthly mortgage payment agreed upon with our previous lender. 

Every Ditech billing statement which I received on this loan from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX showed the total escrow amount due as {$380.00}. 

Subsequently, around XX/XX/XXXX I received notice from Ditech that our total monthly mortgage payments would be increasing in the range of {$1000.00} to {$1000.00}. I inquired with Ditech representatives over the telephone several times as to why this increase occurred. I was advised to check with my property insurance carrier or my Parish/County Tax Assessors Office as there may have been an increase in my insurance premiums or taxes. 

B. No Evidence Exists for Ditechs Increase in My Mortgage Payments My property insurance provider has confirmed that my property insurance premium has not increased. My agent confirmed that my yearly property insurance is {$1200.00}. Thus, my total monthly escrow payments to Ditech for my property insurance would be {$100.00} ( $ XXXX ). 

My yearly flood insurance premium did go up ( from about {$1300.00} to {$1300.00} ), which is an increase of {$15.00} over the year which would result in a negligible increase of about $ XXXX/month for my escrow payments to Ditech. Thus, my total monthly escrow payments to Ditech for my flood insurance would be {$110.00} ( XXXX ). 

The XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) Parish Tax Assessors Office showed an increase in my property taxes of about {$120.00} for the year XX/XX/XXXX ( my XX/XX/XXXX property tax bill was {$1600.00}, whereas my XX/XX/XXXX property tax bill was {$1700.00}. {$1700.00} - {$1600.00} = {$120.00} ). However, my XX/XX/XXXX XXXX property tax bill notes that I have the Louisiana Homestead Exemption resulting in {$780.00} less in yearly property taxes, for a XX/XX/XXXX total property tax assessment of {$970.00}. Thus my monthly escrow payments to Ditech for my XX/XX/XXXX property taxes would be {$81.00} ( $ XXXX ). 

Thus, my total monthly escrow payment to Ditech for taxes and insurance from XX/XX/XXXX to  present should be about {$290.00} XXXX {$81.00} + {$110.00} + XXXX ). I may be required to have mortgage insurance on this property, which is indicated in the XX/XX/XXXX escrow analysis as {$1000.00}, which would amount to monthly charge of about {$85.00} ( XXXX/XXXX ). Thus, my total monthly mortgage payment should be no more than {$980.00}. ( principal of {$200.00} + interest of {$390.00} + {$290.00} escrow + XXXX for mortgage insurance ). However, Ditech contends that my monthly mortgage payment is {$1000.00} to {$1000.00}, for which purported increase Ditech has provided no evidence, or explanation. 

C. Ditechs Escrow Analyses Provide No Assistance Ditech has performed two ( 2 ) escrow analyses on my account. Ditechs XX/XX/XXXX escrow analysis appears to show a projected yearly deficit of exactly {$590.00} in three different categories - in what is needed to pay for my XX/XX/XXXX flood insurance, property taxes, and property insurance, which would amount to a total of about a {$1700.00} over the year. As I have shown above, such a deficit is baseless and unfounded. Secondly, Ditechs analysis specifically indicates I only owe a deficit of {$590.00}, which again is baseless, and illogical given its breakdown. Third, this analysis indicates that a monthly escrow payment must be made in the amount of {$1000.00} as mortgage insurance. However, no prior bill from Ditech mentions this in any past payment breakdown.