Consumer complaint received 2026-03-25 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — Other type of mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue related to modification, forbearance, short sale, deed-in-lieu, bankruptcy, or foreclosure
Company: NORTHWEST BANCSHARES INC
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
We were XXXX XXXX year customer with Northwest Savings Bank located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. Our business had been struggling prior to XXXX and then we experienced a complete shut down due to XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. We are a married couple with XXXX being XXXX and me being the main income with a XXXX XXXX career with another financial institution. I was informed in XXXX of XXXX that my job was being eliminated in XXXX of XXXX due to restructuring. With our business completely shut down due to the pandemic, XXXX of our XXXX tenants not paying rent due to the same reason and my job loss there was next to no income coming into our household. Northwest Savings Bank was made fully aware of our financial position. ISSUE # 1 I reached out to Northwest Savings Bank on XX/XX/XXXX explaining that we were completely shut down and asked if they had any options for us because there was XXXX cash flow. I received an email on XX/XX/XXXX that due to the delinquency of the loan there was no deferment offered however a forbearance agreement would protect us against legal action. With grants from XXXX XXXX and limited operation enabled us to make some payments through XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX a representative of Northwest Savings Bank workout group and I started communicating to get the loan modified. I had informed Northwest since XXXX that our business was for sale. In XXXX of XXXX we feel we were forced into a XXXX XXXX modification even though we strongly expressed our concern that this was only a XXXX XXXX fix. We were told they would look at the financial situation after the XXXX XXXX That never happened and the loan was called for full payment. It was a long process of postponed XXXX sales and a failed sales agreement. Finally we sold the business and property and paid Northwest off in XXXX of XXXX. COMPLAINT The fees charged by Northwest Savings Bank were excessive and unreasonable. The process started in XX/XX/XXXX and the payoff was quoted as {$91000.00} and this included immediate legal fees in the amount of {$7700.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX we were quoted a payoff of {$120000.00} with legal fees of {$18000.00} and on the final closing date of XX/XX/XXXX the payoff again increased to {$120000.00}. This is an increase of {$3300.00} for a period of 10 days. Foreclosure fees in XXXX are to be reasonable and actual. There is nothing reasonable about the charges that we endured from Northwest Savings Bank and their Attorneys. The unpaid principal balance at the start of the foreclosure was {$77000.00} as of XX/XX/XXXX. The final payoff was {$120000.00} which is a difference of {$48000.00}. Did it really cost that amount to foreclose on a {$77000.00} mortgage? ISSUE # 2 At approximately the same time one of our rentals was also in foreclosure. The only one left out of XXXX that still had a mortgage. On XX/XX/XXXX the principal balance was {$45000.00} with added interest, legal fees, collection fees and late fees the total was {$56000.00} an additional {$10000.00}. ( Attorney fees {$630.00} and collection fees {$1300.00} ) We requested a payoff on XX/XX/XXXX because we felt we had some potential financing and the payoff drastically increased to {$64000.00}. Within XXXX months the payoff increased by {$7900.00}. ( Total cost increase of {$18000.00} ) ( Attorney fees {$9400.00} and {$120.00} collection fees ) We asked for an amount to catch up the mortgage and received that on XX/XX/XXXX. The amount quoted was {$30000.00}. This was just to catch up the mortgage not pay it off. Attorney fees {$1200.00} and collection fees of {$13000.00} As we got closer to finding a lender we received another amount to reinstate the loan on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX MONTHS LATER and the amount to reinstate the mortgage again went up to {$37000.00}. This was an increase of {$6800.00}. ( Attorney fees {$2300.00} and collection fees {$16000.00} ) On XX/XX/XXXX we signed a contract with a private lender because with the liens, judgments, lack of compassion and the amount of money we were being charged by Northwest we had no other option. The reinstate figure was {$39000.00}. There was another increase XXXX month later of {$2000.00}. ( Attorney fees {$3200.00} and collection fees {$18000.00} ) The amount we actually paid to reinstate the mortgage that was on the XXXX was {$36000.00}. At this time I asked my Attorney to reach out to Attorney XXXX who represented Northwest Savings Bank and ask were I made the payments going forward and is he still involved. He informed our Attorney XXXX XXXX he was no longer involved as the mortgage was caught up unless there was another default and we could make our payments at the bank. The next month we sold the property. The payoff was {$41000.00} and included another legal fee of {$650.00}. Even after we were told that the Attorney for Northwest no longer needed to be involved. I emailed for the payoff myself and received the exact same payoff that their Attorney provided us. What was the {$650.00} for?? COMPLAINT The fees charged by Northwest Savings Bank were excessive and unreasonable. IN TOTAL {$36000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX ( arrears ) {$41000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX ( payoff ) Total paid to Northwest Savings Bank {$77000.00} on a loan with the principal amount of {$45000.00} We were given confusing payoffs from XXXX of XXXX up until we finally paid the loan off. The Attorney fees and collection fees were inflated and unfair. The principal, interest, late fees, legal fees and costs were all note on the payoff letters every time! They varied and who knows if they were accurate. If the fees are spelled out what else can a bank charge for under collection fee? What exactly is a collection fee? IN CLOSING We have requested detailed Attorney charges twice and have been denied. We were sent invoices only ( redacted copies ) with no hourly wage, actual hours or work preformed. I received an email from XXXX XXXX, Real Estate Acquisition Officer, from Northwest Savings Bank stating that I would need a court order for anything further. I again requested a breakdown of legal fees on XX/XX/XXXX however I was informed again by XXXX XXXX that I would be charged {$25.00} per hour for the research. I declined because at this point Northwest Savings Bank and their Attorneys have nearly financially crippled us and we refuse to give them another dime. This entire process was an example of a big bank going after a small business owner. We had a great net worth until all of this happened. The liquor license alone was worth more then what was owed on the 1st complaint. The building and property that housed the business was worth triple. XXXX not only made us unmarketable for any lending they assassinated our character in our community, tarnished our reputation and put us near financial ruins for a {$77000.00} commercial loan and a {$45000.00} investment property loan. When we closed the private lending loan on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX of the stipulations was that the Plonskis received ZERO from closing. Our home was taken as collateral along with XXXX high end vehicles combined value of approximately XXXX XXXX for a {$480000.00} loan. Why was this statement necessary? Why was this stipulation made? The judgment was still in place and they had cross-collateralized XXXX investment properties in addition to the commercial property and the liquor license. Obviously Northwest was trying to just completely bury us and made sure we had no access to any cash. There was a substantial amount of collateral held for the commercial loan. This email communication outlining that stipulation was insulting and completely despicable of Northwest. Our opinions are firm and will not change and we feel Northwest Savings Bank needs to be held accountable for some very questionable fees that we were charged, the confusing payoffs that we received and the refusal to explain these fees. Banks are to be loyal, act with care and maintain faith integrity and transparency. Northwest had an obligation and a fiduciary duty to go beyond standard business practices. There was nothing reasonable or actual regarding any of these fees. They took complete advantage of our financial position and cause financial and mental anguish that no customer should ever have to deal with. Email communications can be provided upon request

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation