Showing posts with label Customer Sevice Issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Customer Sevice Issues. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Reputable Insurance Agent

I mentioned in my last post that we were going through an agent in making all these changes with our health and dental insurance. I've been talking to Alex Bessinger from Utah Insurance Group and he's been more than helpful in helping us along in this process. I've called him more times than I can count about questions, concerns, thoughts, etc and he's been extremely patient and informative.

I thought I'd share his company's website so that any others who are looking for help with their health, dental and life insurance needs would be able to have the best agent available to them too. :) We're actually changing our Whole Life Insurance policies we've had for the last 15 years over to Term Life Insurance. We'll get over three times the coverage for half the cost of what we're paying through work. Granted, it's term and won't accrue any cash value, but from all of the research I've done and the people I've called to talk to about it, Whole Life Insurance just doesn't make much sense when it comes to people like my husband and me.

So if you're in the insurance market, go ahead and check out Utah Insurance Group. I know it was definitely worthwhile for us!
Utah Insurance Group
Available when you are: 7AM-9PM Mon-Fri
Phone: 801.336.4295 Fax: 801.951.4974 
Mailing Address: 1241 S 4350 W Syracuse, UT 84075

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Not a HAMP Success Yet


We finally found out what the hold-up on getting our final modification under HAMP was. It wasn't our so-called negotiator who let us know what was happening. It was a new gentleman from the Bank of America Office of the CEO and President. My case got transferred several times within that office and also several times from negotiator to negotiator within the Home Retention Dept. It's been a mess and has given me more than one nightmare--I kid you not.

Anyway, this guy actually seems to care. He gave me his direct number, returns my calls promptly and calls regularly with updates and whatnot. I haven't experienced this yet in the last year of our ordeal applying for the Making Home Affordable Plan which was set up by President Obama to help responsible homeowners to keep their homes. It's been a long, bumpy road and it's really refreshing to get some help from someone who isn't evading my questions (along with not returning my calls and passing our case on to the next person so they can ignore it too).

It's taken over six months to get an answer as to why this isn't all finished yet, but he found one for me, because he kept looking and didn't just give up when our negotiator couldn't give him an answer. Apparently, there was a problem with our signatures. They said that it looks like, for whatever reason, my signature, done with the notary that they sent out to our house, looks like it's been X-ed out. They should've received three signed and notarized copies, so you would think at least one of them would be acceptable, but apparently not.

In any case, we have to sign the same documents with another notary (this time we find our own), and then send them back in and get this finished up so they can stop reporting us as delinquent to the credit bureaus and get our new loan set-up and running in the system. As things look now on our account with them, it's a big mess, despite us jumping through every hoop that's been put in front of us and paying every modified payment on time for the full amount (we even pay the higher amount that I was told by one of the many reps I talked to over there, rather than the one on the paperwork, so there could be no excuse to have our modification canceled).

So, with the help of this new agent in the Office of the President, hopefully we can get this done soon and I can rest easy. We'll be praying for that, anyway.

If you, or anyone you know is going through this, don't give up. Keep fighting. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, it's just not so easy to see or get to at times.

Please be careful of the scammers out there who are preying upon people like us. The best place to go--as hard as the process may be--to save your home is to your very own mortgage company. Please don't pay attention to the mailings from outside companies who are claiming they can help you. We made the mistake of falling for a scheme like that once years ago and it didn't end well, though we came out smarter and stronger for it.

If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. Keep that in mind. Help is available for free so beware of anyone offering to help you for a price. Also, there is support for you out there and one of the most informative sites I've found is Loan Safe.

Don't lose faith and remember that everything happens for a reason. God is there for us when we need Him, so don't ever hesitate to pray for strength or guidance. Best of luck to you all!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Gephardt Round Two?

I wish I could give you all hope and tell you that our modification ordeal is finally over, but alas, that's not the case. Rather than wait around for absentee negotiators to deign to call me back and let me know why, after nearly five months from the date we signed our permanent modification documents, our credit is being slammed by false reports by BOA, our late fees are adding up and their system still shows our old payment and our account in severe arrears, I decided to email Bill Gephardt from Channel 2 news again. It seemed to help last time and I pray that it will again.

I decided to share my letter here with you all:

Dear Mr. Gephardt,

You may not remember me, but we spoke on the phone several months ago about my mortgage company giving me the run-around on applying for the Making Home Affordable Plan mortgage modification, even though according to the government website, our family was very much qualified to do so.

Anyway, perhaps because of you, they finally let us do it, and we were approved for the trial plan not too long after you and I spoke. I wish I could say that was the end of the story, but it’s not. Far from it.

According to the way Obama’s HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Plan, or Making Home Affordable) works, once you’re approved for the trial plan, you make three trial payments on time, and then are set up (assuming you have met all obligations and criteria) for the permanent modification. We made five trial payments. During this time, even though all our payments were made as agreed and very much on time, Bank of America (our mortgage company) reported us late to the credit bureaus—this is also against HAMP guidelines when you’re making your payments as agreed under this government modification. When I caught this, they fixed it the first time.

Five trial payments and many, many phone calls later, we finally signed our permanent modification documents in the middle of December 2009. We were ecstatic. Finally, we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. No more having to call them to fix our credit reports. No more getting statements from them in the mail saying we were delinquent, even though we were making our modified payments on time, no more dealing with lost paperwork, inaccurate information, or loan negotiators that weren’t very good at returning phone calls or even answering the simplest of questions. No more wondering how much longer we would make these so-called trial payments, or if we were going to have to suddenly leave our home with our children because of some error or decision made by the mortgage company.

Our permanent modification payments started February 1, 2010. We’ve made every one so far as laid out in the documents. We were told that it should all be put in the system in a matter of weeks. When that didn’t happen, we called and were told it would be about 30 days. At the end of that time we were told 60 days. At the end of that time we were told 90 days from the time we signed. You can see where I’m going with this, right? I continued to call and be put off. I demanded as courteously, but firmly, as I could to have some answers. I’m never given the same answers.

On my last call, I was told that while we’ve been improved on Bank of America’s side of things, our investor, Freddie Mac, has yet to approve us. It’s my understanding that they can’t even offer the permanent modification without investor approval to begin with. I’m so tired of this run-around. I want to feel secure in my own home. I want to know that if I plant my garden, I’ll be here to harvest it. I want to know that when I bring my baby home from the hospital, I’ll be coming to this home.

Our credit is being destroyed by this, too. They’ve started reporting us as delinquent to the credit bureaus again. I called them to fix it again. They sent a letter to me saying they would do so, but have not corrected it after more than a month later. According to their website, we’re over $12,000 delinquent, even though we’ve been making payments all this time. I fear that any day we’ll receive a notice of foreclosure and have no place to go because our credit has taken such a hit.

I’m exhausted from all of this. It’s a full time job on top of all my other things to do. Do you think you could help us get to the bottom of this? We would be forever grateful and in your debt if you would. You can read more about our situation on www.thejugglinghomemaker.com. I’ve outlined our ordeal on my blog for others going through the same thing—and believe me, there are many, many others. Also, if you want to know more about the program we’re under, you can go to www.makinghomeaffordable.gov.

I’m happy to help you help us in any way I can. Thank you so much for your time.


Anyway, I hope none of you give up out there. Stay strong and fight back! Best of luck to you!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Modification Nightmares

I have to wonder how many people Obama's Home Affordable Modification Plan (AKA HASP and Making Home Affordable) is really helping. Thus far the numbers are quite low for the homeowners who have successfully navigated through this long and tedious process.

Over a year ago this plan was introduced and the White House Administration claimed it would help between 3 and 4 million homeowners. Now, over a year since they introduced this plan, only about 170,000 homeowners out of over the million who have tried, succeeded in getting their modifications. It's estimated that about another 90,000 will be dropped from the plan in the next few months. Those are some discouraging numbers.

Some would have you believe that the low success rate is the fault of homeowners for not turning in paperwork, not meeting guidelines or not following through with important steps of the process. After doing this myself for a year, I have to tell you that's a load of malarkey.

In our own process, which we started at the end of March of last year, we have been told we didn't qualify to even apply after being told we did and had already applied; have been told we have to be late on our payments when the government website, Making Home Affordable, clearly states that you can be current; have been subject to lost paperwork multiple times--including the actual Trial Modification package offer--etc. In short, it has been a nightmare.

We've made it farther than many others in our shoes, but it hasn't been easy. Even with being as tenacious as I am when I'm working for something, I've thought about forgetting the whole thing multiple times. Nothing is going the way it's supposed to--the way Bank of America Corporation has told me it would go.

We signed our permanent modification agreement the second week of December, 2009. We were ecstatic. Finally we could see an end to this roller coaster ride. BAC had sent the notary, we signed the docs, then their notary took them and overnighted them back to BAC. It took them several weeks to find those docs in their system (they weren't even labeled) and let me know that they while they had been received on December 17, they weren't yet entered into the system to finalize everything. I was then told that it should be only another week or two until it was entered into the system as our new loan agreement. We were relieved to hear it, though a part of us didn't fully believe that we were just about finished.

Well, turns out, it wasn't that easy. Now, over three months after signing those permanent docs, we're still waiting for it to be updated in the system. We've continued making our payments (every one made on time and as agreed). We've done everything they've asked, the moment they asked it. We've jumped through every hoop--sometimes multiple times. What did we get for it? They reported us as delinquent to the credit bureaus on our mortgage (one thing that the government website says they aren't supposed to do under HAMP). And when I called--multiple times--to have them fix this, they tried to start us all over in the process. Obviously one hand doesn't know what the other is doing in this program.

We've been called several times to set up an appointment with another notary to sign the very documents we already signed over three months ago. It's ridiculous. Every time I tell them we've already done this. Every time they say they don't see it in the system. I tell them I have the proof here at home. It's just so exhausting.

Oh, and they transferred our case to a new negotiator. This new negotiator was supposed to have called us at some point in the last month. Has he? Nope. And believe me, I've tried to get into contact with him.

So, you tell me: whose fault is it that these modifications aren't going through? In my experience it's the mortgage company's fault. Something needs to change with this program. Until then, people are going to continue losing their homes.

I sincerely hope there are others out there having better luck than we are with this whole thing. I also hope that people out there aren't falling prey to all the scammers out there. This program is supposed to be done through your own mortgage company. Please don't pay attention to any of those third-party mailings you get from people claiming they can do this for you. This process is tedious, but it's free. Just be careful out there and don't give up.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A Pricey Lesson, but I'm Thankful


It's amazing how much of a difference one day can make with one's attitude. Last night I was feeling pretty overwhelmed. "If it's not one thing, it's another!" I cried. It all started with an ice cream dessert with my family. We were watching Smallville on DVR (a favorite around here) and decided ice cream sounded good. We had a bunch left over from the multiple birthdays we had going on in the last month, so all we had to do was make a trip to the kitchen. Sounds like a great way to cap off the night, right? Not in this case.

The ice cream was super soft, which was curious, since the freezer was set just above the recommended setting (the only way we can keep up with the ice consumption in our house). So I opened the fridge to see how it was faring. I had noticed that the milk wasn't as cold at dinner, but had figured maybe I'd had it out longer than I'd realized. Nope. Everything in the fridge was definitely not as cold as it should've been. Not even close.

So we pulled the fridge out, moved things around, looked for blockages, tampered with the dials, anything to try and fix this ourselves and avoid an expensive repair or worse--buying a new fridge! We couldn't figure it out. Maybe our four year old fridge really was the lemon we'd started considering it as. After all, the repairman had already been to our house three times for it in the first year and a half. Twice it was for the ice maker and once for when the digital display and the lights had all gone out on it.

For this last year, two out of three lights wouldn't work at all inside (and the third one was temperamental). Maybe this was it. It was fried and we would be stuck shelling out mega-bucks on an expensive service bill or an entirely new appliance! No! Not now! We don't even know what's happening with our loan modification! If our Making Home Affordable application isn't approved, we have at least a few thousand dollars we have to come up with to make up the difference between the lowered trial payments and what our regular mortgage payments are set at. And then there's the late fees! Ugh! Not to mention we would have to still be able to pay that normal amount starting on November 1, too. You can see how any new expenses would not be in our budget, right?

Well, we set the temperature dials at full blast and did the only thing we could do at that time of night: we said our prayers and went to bed.

Once I got the kids off to school today, I called the repairman and was lucky enough to get an appointment for late morning. Turns out, it was all our fault. How, you ask? Well, it was all caused by a canister of raisins and an inconspicuous air inlet. It seems the canister was just the perfect width and height to block the one and only air inlet that regulates the temperature for the fridge. Somehow it had gotten shoved right up against the inlet and caused problems with the sensor.

And the bulbs? Well, it seems whirlpool fridges are a bit picky when it comes to brands. Who'd have thought it? A snobby fridge. It didn't like the energy efficient bulbs we put in there. The repairman replaced them with regular bulbs and I can actually see the whole inside of my fridge! Not necessarily a good thing, though, since now I can more clearly see that it's time for a scrub-down. Haha!

Anyway, it came to just over a hundred dollars with tax. And with that, I also found out why the timer on my oven quit beeping. Seems someone held down the timer button for too long (five seconds) and it turns the beeper off. So, I got three issues fixed because of my canister of Great Value Raisins. Hah! ;)

I choose to look at this in a positive light. Nothing serious was wrong. My fridge, thank heavens, is not on it's way out. And for that matter, neither is my stove. I hadn't realized how stressed I was about both of those seemingly minor problems until they were fixed.

Oh, I just have to tell you that I really have a lot of confidence and respect for the folks at Doyles Appliance Service. Shad Anderson is very professional and isn't going to charge you for unnecessary repairs. He took his time looking for the problem and then made sure I understood what was going on (and he didn't make me feel stupid for what turned out to be customer error). The easiest and most profitable thing for him to do would have been to just order a new control board, thermostat or some other item--since at first, the problems we had seemed to indicate that was the issue.

So if any of you are in or near Davis County (they may even service the Salt Lake area), I would definitely recommend Doyles. I couldn't find a website for them, but their contact information is here: (801) 292-0676, 45 West 200 South, Bountiful, UT.

Many problems can be solved by simply checking the manual, too. If you've misplaced your product manual, check online. I know that Whirlpool has their manuals listed online for free and it's really easy to look them up with the model number. I've saved myself a few calls to the repairman doing this.

Am I happy that this lesson cost me money? No, but it could've been worse! And who knows? Maybe my lesson can help one of you out there with your appliances. God Bless!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Updates and an Apology

Hey, all! I know it's been way too long since I last wrote, but I haven't had much time for writing lately. I'm sorry to leave anyone hanging here and wondering what's been happening with our loan modification. I've been meaning to write for ages, as much has been happening on that end, but everyday life has been getting in the way:)

We were finally approved for the trial modification some time in June. Why didn't I write about it then? Well, because I didn't know about it. I found out about it in mid-july, but was told days before the signed paperwork (which I'd never received) was supposed to be sent back in via Fed-Ex. The only reason I found out was because the mortgage payment I made for July was never applied and I got a notice that it was late. So I called them and asked what what was happening with the payment I'd sent.

First, I was told that I'd made no such payment. Then, at my insistence, and with my bank as proof that an automatic withdrawal had been made on July 13 (not technically late since it was within the grace period), they did some digging and found my payment.

They said, "Oh, it's been put in a suspense account, since you're being set up on the Making Home Affordable Trial Modification." Really?

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes, that's what it shows here. The paperwork is due on [such-and-such a date] or the modification will be canceled."

"What paperwork?" I asked.

"The paperwork you were sent on June 26." Hmmmmmm.........Well, this was over two weeks from that date, and it was sent via Fed Ex, so I definitely should've seen it by this time.

That started the beginning of a nightmare. It took until the end of July to get the new paperwork, after they had to first determine to their satisfaction that I hadn't received the first packet (it turns out it was never sent due to a computer glitch). During this time, I was also told conflicting information:

"Yes, this is the Making Home Affordable Plan."

and "No, this is just a special forbearance plan until we can qualify you for the Making Home Affordable Plan."

and "No, you will not be reported as late to the credit bureaus as long as you're making your trial payments."

and "Yes, you will be reported as late because you're not making your full payments."

I managed to stay calm, reach my loan negotiator who eventually cleared everything up (It was the MHA trial modification and we would not be reported as late--though I did have to call them to remind them of that fact when they did reported us late anyway. But they did fix it quickly). Long story short, we have now completed the trial payments. What happens now? Good question.

I was told I should be hearing from someone to come to our house with the final paperwork for us to go over and sign for the real modification deal. So far, nothing yet. I'll let you know what happens when we find out. I'm really hoping it's not going to be another ordeal. It seems to take forever to straighten the people from Bank of America out. It's frustrating, to say the least, and I wonder if anybody there really knows what they're doing. I've sent and re-sent the same documents multiple times, and talked to so many people I've lost count. But I'm not giving up. I'll keep doing whatever it takes. I'm no quitter!

In case you didn't already know, Making Home Affordable is the same thing as HASP, but they've changed the name. Who knows? Maybe they've changed it again! Haha, who can keep up anymore? If you aren't already familiar with what's been happening in our case so far, you can read my previous posts here.

Monday, June 1, 2009

You Can Kiss My HASP!!!

Today's title is directed at Countrywide/Bank of America. It's now been over two months since we applied. During that time, as you know, I've called them regularly to check on things, only to be told it's going to take longer. The kicker? They've deleted my application and I have to start all over. I'm beyond upset about this. I decided to take the advice of friends and family and send Bill Gephardt of 2News a letter.

Here it is:

Have you heard of the Making Home Affordable Plan AKA HASP? Well, when my husband's hours got cut, we lost at least $1,000 per month of our income. We started to struggle to make our payments, draining our savings, cutting our bills where we could and clipping coupons. With no end in site to our money situation I called our mortgage company (then Countrywide, but now Bank of America) to talk about what options were available to us in trying to keep our home. It was then they told us about MHA (HASP), and we applied for it over two months ago.

I sent them everything they requested and called regularly to check on the status. One person told me it would take 7-10 days for me to get a workout packet. When I didn't get one, I called back and was told I should hear something within 30 days. When I called back after that, I was told 40 days, then 50 days, then 60 days.

Each time I asked if they had everything they needed. Each time I was assured they did and that my application was still under review. When I called back on the 60 day mark, I was told I needed to start the process all over again. Why? I was told it’s because my information is now two months old and also I didn't qualify on my first application.

Why was this the first time I was hearing this, after two months of phone calls? I asked that and was told they didn't know why no one told me. When I asked what kept me from qualifying now for the application, when I'd been told by several other representatives there that everything looked fine, I was told it’s because I'm current on my mortgage.

I told them that the rules say that I don't have to be behind on my mortgage to qualify, just that I have to show that we are in danger of falling behind and defaulting, which is what we're trying to prevent. They said that was correct, I don't have to be behind to qualify, but I can't be current. What? How is that possible? I asked this, and they said that I'm not considered current if I haven't paid my bill the first day it becomes due, which is the first of each month.

This modification process takes 30-60 days, according to them, so it would be impossible for me to qualify if I don't fall behind. If I play their game, and fall behind on the slim chance that I may qualify, it ruins the only other option they're offering me: A 5/1 ARM refinance at 4.215%. You have to have good credit to qualify for the HASP refinance program.

We aren't thrilled about the ARM idea, as we feel this is what has gotten so many people in this mess in the first place, but we don't want to lose our home either. According to the Making Home Affordable website, we’re perfect candidates for this program. What’s the problem?

We have several friends and neighbors who have called about this program, only to be given the run-around. According to each of these situations and the information we've all been given individually, at least some of us should have been approved for this program. Some have been told they have to be behind to qualify, some are told they have to catch up to qualify. I've yet to meet a single person who has been approved for this program in my online searches. Instead, I'm finding so many others that are being jerked around in the same way we have been. Good and responsible people are losing their homes! There are numerous websites and forums set up because of this.

What kind of program is this that Obama has set up to help responsible homeowners who have been hurt by this bad economy? How is it going to help any of us if they banks won't let us do it? Please help us, Gephardt. A lot of family's homes are at stake.



I'll let you all know if I get anywhere with this route. If I don't, I'll look for another. I'm not going down without one heck of a fight. Wish me luck!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for What You Want

Have you ever gone to the store, had your hands full at the register and not noticed until you got home and went over your receipt that you were overcharged? Have you ever purchased an item or a service, only to find out it wasn't all it was promised to be or it broke with normal use? Most of us, if not all of us, have had some bad experiences as customers. The good news is that there is something you can do about it.

Often, you can get what you want over the phone. If you've got decent verbal skills, this can be an effective way to resolve your problem and get what you want. The key is persistence and patience. When we bought our house nearly four years ago, we upgraded the appliances. We thought if we went with the higher brand name that they would last longer and work better.

In our case, we were mistaken. The first year we had to call on our freezer twice (the ice maker was having issues), our microwave once (it started sparking when we used it), our dishwasher (the silverware tray hinges broke), and we had to trip the breaker on our electrical to get the self cleaning oven to turn off (thankfully that never happened again). We couldn't believe it! But thankfully everything was covered under warranty, and so we didn't have to pay for anything.

I can't believe, considering all the trouble we had, that I didn't get around to extending the warranties. Blame it on being busy with the little ones and working on getting all our landscaping done. In any case, we didn't extend our coverage. Six months after our coverage expired, all of our lights and the digital display in the refrigerator when out. I called, hoping that it was one of the few parts that was covered under the longer warranty. It wasn't, and it was going to cost several hundred dollars to replace.

I was furious, but I kept my cool when I called the company to see if they would pay for it anyway. They told me no. I asked to be transferred higher, that person told me no, I asked to be transferred even higher, that person told me no. I told them I wasn't getting off the phone until they told me yes. I told them how we had bought all of our appliances from them, and they were supposed to be top of the line. I told them how many times we had to call on said appliances, and how we were less than satisfied with their performances. I told them how I would tell anyone and everyone who would listen about my experience with said appliances and their manufacturer if they didn't do the right thing and cover the part. I basically let them know that I wasn't going away. Finally, over an hour later, they said "okay, we'll pay for the part if you'll cover the labor." I took it. The labor was only $60 and so I was satisfied with that deal.

Never once did I raise my voice, curse (though believe me, there were times I wanted to--haha!), or act offensive to them. I let each person know that I realized that they weren't actually the ones who made my appliances, and that this was just their job, but I wasn't going to let this go. They listened.

Another customer service issue: If I've been overcharged at the grocery store by a few cents, or even a dollar, I'll usually let that go. But there was actually a time that I was overcharged over five dollars. That was when gas prices were much higher, and I would've spent about that much to go back to the store and get my money back. That didn't appeal, so I wrote a letter to their corporate office, letting them know my experience, how I was overcharged and how it made me feel as their customer to know that if I took my eyes off the scanner for a moment, I would lose money. They sent me a $10 gift card and a letter of apology.

I've received refunds on items, replacement products and other things, all as a result of being able to keep my cool over the phone or in a letter. This can be a great way to get your money back, or to get something replaced. Sometimes they'll even send valuable coupons with your replacement (usually food manufacturers do this).

If phone calls, or letter writing doesn't get you anywhere, you can always file a claim with the Better Business Bureau. I did this with AT&T once. They charged me $3 for a collect call I refused. It wasn't the amount of money I was upset about, it was the principle of it, and the way they treated me when I asked them to remove the charge. Their representative really should've considered their words when they told me that it was basically too bad, I had to pay it and there was nothing I could do about it. That was a challenge to me, and I accepted it. I went to the BBB's website, filed a report, and what do you know? My account was credited! Hah!

I thought I'd share this information with those who haven't tried this. You don't have to settle for less. Get more for your money, or at the very least, what you paid for. Go get what you paid for!