Consumer complaint received 2025-08-01 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue with the loan closing
Company: Rocket Mortgage, LLC
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting a formal complaint against Rocket Mortgage, for what I believe is a violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ( RESPA ), specifically regarding the charging of fees for services that did not have consent and were not authorized. 

XX/XX/XXXX First Contact by XXXX At XXXX PM, we received a voicemail from XXXX, an appraiser working with Rocket Mortgage, asking if our closing was proceeding. We called him back shortly afterward, stating that we did not understand why an appraisal was being scheduled, as we were still in the attorney review/home inspection phase and had not authorized an appraisal. 
We immediately contacted our buyers agent to clarify the situation. 

XX/XX/XXXX Communication with Rocket Mortgage Representative ( XXXX XXXX, Executive Banker ) XXXX XXXX  We texted XXXX ( Rocket Mortgage ) to instruct him not to schedule an appraisal until we finished attorney review and home inspection. We explicitly stated : There should not be an appraisal until we are finished with attorney review/home inspection. 

XXXX replied in writing, confirming : We can hold the appraisal off until the inspection is done, no issue at all I will place the hold until you tell me to order it. 

We believed the appraisal would not proceed without my written authorization. 

XX/XX/XXXX Follow-up Contact from Rocket Mortgage XXXX PM We received an email from XXXX XXXX XXXX Rocket Mortgage stating that a new appraiser had been assigned and would reach out to schedule. 

We spoke with XXXX later that day and reiterated that we had not authorized the appraisal and were waiting for inspection results. 

We again requested that no appraisal be performed until we confirmed. 

XX/XX/XXXX Confirmation of Hold We texted XXXX to confirm that he had not authorized the appraisal, since we received additional emails from XXXX suggesting otherwise. 

XXXX replied that he would make sure that is looked into, further reinforcing my expectation that no appraisal would be performed without approval. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX Unauthorized Charge and Complaint Despite our repeated instructions, Rocket Mortgage charged {$500.00} to our credit card for an appraisal that we did not authorize. 

XX/XX/XXXX We texted XXXX again, demanding confirmation that the {$500.00} would be refunded, as the appraisal never should have happened. 

XXXX did not provide a definitive refund confirmation, instead asking about whether we were moving forward with the property. 

XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX XXXX  ) : We emailed XXXX requesting an update on the refund for the unauthorized {$500.00} appraisal charge on XX/XX/XXXX. 
We reminded him that he had previously said he would fix this, but we had not received confirmation or a refund. 

XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX PM ) : XXXX responded : I should have some further information soon! 

XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX PM ) : XXXX wrote : After my team further looking into this, there will not be a refund. 
He provided a phone number for any further questions, without any substantive explanation. 

XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX XXXX  ) : We replied stating that neither we nor our attorney were informed about the appraisal. 
We advised that we would escalate the matter as a formal complaint and regulatory breach. 
We expressed that this was the worst experience we had ever had with a financial institution. 

XX/XX/XXXX Called the ( XXXX ) XXXX We had a XXXX phone call with XXXX from the Rocket Mortgage Research Team regarding the unauthorized {$500.00} appraisal fee. 
During this call : XXXX. Rockets Standard Practice - XXXX explicitly confirmed that Rocket Mortgages standard process is to order the appraisal as soon as possible, without first informing the customer or obtaining explicit authorization. 
- She acknowledged that this practice means many customers are charged for appraisal services they may not need if the mortgage does not proceed.

2. Refund Policy and Pressure to Continue - XXXX stated that Rocket Mortgage would only take the {$500.00} appraisal fee into account if I returned to continue a mortgage process with them. 
- This implies that the only way to receive compensation or credit for the fee is to remain a Rocket Mortgage customer, rather than receiving a straightforward refund for an unauthorized charge. 

3. Consumer Harm and Unfair Practice - This policy results in borrowers being charged for unrequested services. 
- Rocket Mortgage is effectively tying refunds or credits to continued business, which feels coercive and unfair to consumers who do not proceed with the loan. 

Supporting Evidence Attached : Text messages showing our explicit instructions not to order the appraisal and Rocket Mortgages acknowledgment.

Voicemail/email timeline showing Rocket Mortgage proceeded with the appraisal despite the hold. 

Email from Rocket Mortgage ( XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX ) confirming they assigned a new appraiser without authorization. 

Email chain from Rocket Mortgage ( XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ) refusing to refund the fee without explanation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation