Consumer complaint received 2024-11-30 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing your loan
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
My partner passed away 4 years ago from XXXX XXXX. We were joint tenants in common and both on the deed of our home, with a transfer on death clause where the property passed solely to me when she passed. We held auto titles, bank accounts, and bills jointly. We were not married. We had a will created by a lawyer that stated the home was to pass to me and that her intention was for me to be able to continue to manage the mortgage after she passed away. The mortgage is only in her name due to the advice of the lender to not include me due to not having enough credit built up when we originally bought the house. Prior to my partner passing away, we went to the bank to sign paperwork to allow me to be able to continue to talk with the bank about the loan and they stated that I would become the successor in interest after she passed, so I thought that this was taken care of. After she passed, I submitted the death certificate to the bank and they stated I could continue to pay the mortgage off until it is paid off, which I have been doing without issue since that time. 

Within the last month, I received mail to our address that stated that because there was a discrepancy between the name listed on the mortgage ( her name ) and the name on the home owner 's insurance policy ( her name ), that they wouldn't be able to accept the payment for the home owner 's insurance, which is a problem because you have to have this in order to have a mortgage. They wouldn't provide me with any information about the mortgage on my house when I called other than I needed to apply to become a successor in interest. They stated that my options were to refinance, assume the loan, or become successor in interest. They stated that they needed evidence of my relationship to my partner and then said that they could see on the death certificate that I was listed as her partner because I was present at the time of her death and that this could be used as evidence. The person I spoke with said the death certificate wouldn't need to be submitted again because it was submitted shortly to Chase after my partner 's death. The person I spoke with said that likely the issue was that my partner 's name was removed from the home insurance ( XXXX ) and they triggered an audit. The person I spoke with said that if I could add her name or her estate to the home insurance policy it would resolve things. On the directions of this paperwork, it stated that joint tenants in common were eligible to become successors in interest, so again I assumed that it was okay. I contacted my home insurance company, who stated that they were not able to add my deceased partner 's name back on the home insurance policy, and that Chase also was not providing them with any information or accepting the paperwork. 

After submitting the paperwork at Chase bank, I then called the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX a few days later. I was told that my request was denied but that this was due to a clerical error because the death certificate was not included with the packet I submitted of the old deed, new deed, and transfer on death affidavit and that it should be approved. I received mail from Chase over that weekend that stated that my request was denied. I called the Chase XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX on Tuesday XX/XX/24 and was told that I would not be able to be successor in interest because my partner and I were not married. I was told that forced home insurance would be placed on my home because Chase couldn't accept the home insurance policy and that this would be more expensive. I was told that I wasn't allowed to know how much it would be or when it would start. I was told that I could either try to assume the loan or refinance but that none of this was guaranteed and that the mortgage interest rates were higher at this point in time than when we got our home and that there would be closing fees I would have to pay. I informed the bank that this XXXX force me out of my home depending on how much it is. I was also told that to be able to know more information about the mortgage I would need to file the will in court, become executor of the will, and then they would be able to provide me with more information. I was also told that even if I became executor, this would only work for XXXX years and that I would have to assume or refinance the loan. 

I contacted my lawyer who had created the will and he informed me that since we had no assets to distribute from the will ( everything was a jointly held asset and did not go through probate ) that we would not be able to file the will in court just for me to be able to communicate with the bank. I checked my email and saw that my home insurance company emailed that they were able to renew the home insurance policy and that the payment went through. They also added my partner 's name back to the home insurance policy. I called the Chase mortgage life events team back and the Chase home insurance team to ask about how to submit this update to the home insurance policy. The person I spoke with said that if I submitted this I could trigger a further audit and that I may be okay for this year with this issue, but likely next year I could face forced home insurance, and that it may still even happen this year. She stated that adding my partner 's name to the policy would not fix things. She couldn't fully confirm anything for me because I was not approved as the successor in interest. At this point I am overwhelmed and a nervous wreck and need assistance with this issue because I am not allowed to find out information with any certainty about my loan or continue to pay the loan as we planned for. I am not even able to be told the correct loan number for the loan. I am not able to pay my mortgage if I refinance and the interest rate goes up or more expensive forced home insurance goes on the loan. I feel that I am being forced out of my home and treated like a criminal when I call Chase and just want to be able to continue to make the mortgage payments as is and live in the home, as it is my primary residence. I am afraid that even by filing a complaint the further review will involve retaliation from Chase and them placing forced home owner insurance on my home sooner than planned.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation