Consumer complaint received 2024-05-23 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing your loan
Company: Volunteer Mortgage Loan Servicing
State: TN

Complaint narrative:
Our mortgage was sold shortly after we closed on it in XXXX of XXXX. It was sold to XXXX, which is serviced by Volunteer Mortgage. We have had ongoing issues with them, beginning with them purchasing forced placed insurance using our escrow account, which made it short of funds. We did not need them to force place insurance. We had insurance that was up to date and had not expired ; and when it did expire, it was renewable at about XXXX of what the forced placed insurance premium was. 

In the meantime, they kept sending notices indicating the escrow account was short of funds by over {$1300.00}. We didn't understand what was happening and why, at first. We began making additional payments every month to make up the difference, which created a nightmare with some of our other creditors because we were on a tight budget, due to the changed economy. 

When my wife discovered what had happened -- the mortgage servicer failed to realize they had done anything wrong- it took a XXXX XXXXXXXX to try to explain it to them. In the meantime, they reported our delinquent payments to the credit agencies and, they still fail to understand that they aren't even supposed to buy forced placed insurance, because we have an escrow account. If for some reason, there isn't enough money to cover the premium, they are supposed to cover it and bill us for the deficiency. Unless our insurance was cancelled for something other than non payment, they can't do that. They still fail to realize it. 

In the meantime, due to extra payments going to them, our credit is back in the XXXX. It was horrible from about XXXX, due to the untimely death of our XXXX XXXX XXXX daughter in a XXXX XXXX  that took a toll on us, the judicial portion took forever and we just didn't care. We never thought wed be able to buy a home again and now that we have, we are regretting it due, in large part, to the servicing. 

We have come to the conclusion that they send us convoluted information on purpose so that we don't understand where our money is going. They give us advice and then all of a sudden we are in a loan modification situation. Our trust has gone out the window. We have owned several other homes and have never had this issue with a servicer. 

They charged us {$200.00} for an attorney fee. When I asked what that was for, back in XXXX, they told us it was " in case you want to do a loan modification. " We were also told at that time that we didn't qualify for a loan modification. 

We have also been continually charged {$20.00} per month, evidently for some guy to come by to make sure we live here. Really? Where else would we live? Junk fee? 

Also, the statements show all money going in and out of escrow in ways we do not understand. What in the world is " walk in cash ''? I know we aren't walking it in and if someone else is... who is it and why? 

They sent us an annual escrow accounting with anticipated, actual and difference and it made zero sense. Nothing added up correctly. Its like they have someone who knows nothing about mortgages or accounting and just willy nilly plugging in numbers. And why is all money running through escrow? That is for insurance and taxes only -- there should be separate accounts for held payments ( if it is a partial payment or whatever ) Our dog could do a more clear accounting of our mortgage. It is scary that they are still doing the same things and we still do not understand nor trust them.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation