Mortgage Modification Nightmare with MetLife. Need Advice!

[eddiep]

hey bubbles
just found this old thread, just wondering if you could give us an update.

[spe739]

I am interested, too.. hopefully you see this thread.

For your information, I sent in an online form in March (it was from the Government's website). it asked basic information and said I'd hear back from Metlife within 45-60 days.

94 days later, I got a letter from them saying my application was incomplete because I didnt submit paycheck stubs - well, no duh! How am I supposed to do that online. The form gave me 10 days to resubmit... problem is I didnt get the letter until 8 days after the 'date of the letter'. So I quickly rounded up the information and faxed it it.. which, of course, the fax was busy and it took me about 4 hours of resending to get my 50 page document to go in...

Anyway, I eventually got it in and got a letter a week later saying they got my completed information and would respond in 30-45 days. Of course, everytime I call, I get a different time frame. The good news is, I know the name of the processor/negotiator... but the extension they gave me is just the general loss mitigation number.

Does anyone know how I could get the person's email address? The format?

[BPFL]

Similar Nightmare

OK, here is my story, My wife and myself purchased a house, the company she was working for was sold, thus the office was closed and she lost her job. I have been working 2-3 jobs paying the mortgage for months, however with the recalculation of the escrow, the payment jumped too high for me to manage. After she was laid off (income slashed in half), we found out she was pregnant, and the baby was born and placed in the ICU. So here is the rest of the story with First Horizon/Metlife. I will leave out some of the calls which I could not get any information in as this is going to be long.

In February 2009 I contacted First Horizon requesting a mortgage re-work/modification package, of which I was told that they will send the packet, however, to qualify for a mortgage re-work I have to have missed at least two payments. I completed and ubmitted the packet in March 2009. I called First Horizon on a weekly basis to receive information on my modification request, however, when I started to be directed everywhere without accurate information, I decided to start these notes.

05/14/09 - Mr. Steve Cabrera called notfitying me that he is from a new department - HMP Department (Home Modification Department - 1-866-814-4414) - he requested information on why I am requesting a modification. He only has that I was delinquent. I provided a background on my hardship, of which he stated that I was eligable for a modification packet, which I should receieve in 15-30 days. I re-ittereated to him that I already had the packet filled out and submitted to First Horizon back in March 2009. He stated that it is a new department and that the infor should be sent accross from the previous department to them.

05/14/09 - I called First Horizon to verify the information provided by Steve Cabrera, who notified me that my case was transferred to a new department and that they should be receiveing my modification request I submitted in March.

05/15/09 - Called HMP Department (Home Modification Department - 1-866-814-4414) - Spoke to Diego - reittereated my hardship and income, which he verified the information as stated by Steve Cabrera.

05/20/09 - Called HMP Department (Home Modification Department - 1-866-814-4414) - Told that my case was transferred to Default Resolutions (1-866-633-0358)

05/20/09 - Cannot get hold of anyone at Default Resolutions

05/28/09 - Finally got through with Mr Leroy of, what I am told is now First American, who is now handling all modification requests for first horizon. Mr. Leoy stated that all foreclosure proceedings are on hold.

06/09 - Called First American numersous times requesting an update, and was always told to be patient they are working on it, and I should know something soon.

06/26/09 - Received Letter of intent on foreclosure and that information was forwarded to David Stern to Process foreclosure.

06/26/09 to 07/09/09 - Called First American numerous times requesting for information as to why I am still in foreclosure and was on hold for hours.

07/09/09 - Called First Horizon Loss Mitigation numerous times requesting for information and was on hold for hours - left a message requesting a call back. Left all my information.

07/09/09 - Got hold of Clint (TKQ) at Default Resolution, who could not provide information

07/09/09 - Got hold of Sergio (SR1) who indicated that there is a stop hold on foreclosure, their department started in April 09 and they got my information in May 09 from First Horizon and that they are working on a package and I should receive something soon. Likewise, he is again submitting a stop/hold on foreclosure and I should call the loss mitogation department to notify them of this.

07/09/09 - Called First Horizon - Got hold of Brandon (UKL) and somehow this ended up being Default Resolutions. Brandon was rude and unhelpful. I asked for a manager, and I was told a manager was unavailable, I was transferred from him to a voice messaging system, I left a message and my cell no. asking for a someone to contact me.

07/09/09 - Called First American - Teresa Ramos (informed me that they do not have identification numbers) and was informed that she is placing a foreclosure stop/hold note, I was asked to reinstate my hardship. I was advised to isregard all further mailings as it is automated and I am already in the system for a modification

07/10/09 - Called First American - Teresa Ramos (amazingly I got the same person twice) she verified all the information as stated the day before, foreclosure stop/hold note, I was asked to reinstate my hardship. I was advised to isregard all further mailings as it is automated and I am already in the system for a modification

08/10/09 - Received statement of complaint and that the house is in foreclosure proceedings

08/10/09 - Called First American - Yasmin - 1-866-814-4414 - verified my information, do not have information, cannot have no forclosure, 05/15/09 received my information, will forward information to manager (Matt Cochran). Asked me to call back tomorrow.

08/10/09 - Transferred and left message for Jenna Copp of Law offices of David Stern - regarding the letter delivered as well as the stop/hold on all foreclosure proceedings as detailed by Teresa Ramos.

08/10/09 - Called First American - Sissily - 1-866-814-4414 - I asked to speak to a manager, she put me on hold to get one. Manager - Amanda - said she needs the date of foreclosure that she can provide to the lender and state that they have not sent us the packet yet, and that forclosure proceedings should be placed on hold.

08/10/09 - Called Law offices of David Stern - 1-954-233-8000 - Spoke to Mandy - Who notified me that I am in foreclosure proceedings, and I have been served complaint that I am in foreclosure proceedings. She needs written verification from Metlife that they have a stop hold on foreclosure. otherwise they are proceeding.

08/10/09 - Called First American - Lynette - 1-866-814-4414 - Discussed with her that the law office is actively pursuing a court date for foreclosure of which she has placed a stop/hold request for foreclosure. She advised me to contact First Horizon and notify them of there is a stop/hold foreclosure which should then carry over to First Horizon notifying the legal firm seeking foreclosure.

08/10/09 - Called First Horizon - Jenae Sherrod - 1-800-364-7662 - I called to notify them that First American has placed a stop hold on foreclosure. She said they closed out the file in May 09, and is unsure as to why, she sees no activity of review since then except for notes for forclosure. She wanted to requalify me for they HMP (Home Modification Program) of which I was aksed all my financial information and reason for hardship. They then deterrmined that I met the qualifications and would I now have to re-submit my bank statements, pay stubs, work-out sheet and hardship letter. She also advised me that foreclosure is now on hold and a sale date is post poned. Once they get this information, they will assign it to a reviewer/negotiator, of which can take approximately 45 days, once they review it they should get back to me, so it should take 60 days or so from when I submit the package. However, she urges me that they are backed up on modification requests, so it could take a little longer.

My Questions are:

- What in the world are these people on?????
- So they closed my file request for a modification since MAY 09, thus Metlife has been seeking foreclosure, while First American and First Horizon has been been telling me to be patient they are working on it and all foreclosure proceedings are on hold. So I am going to be liable for all the attorney fees if I am approved a mod.
- I am afraid that the arears as well as all the attorney fees may be to much that they may deny my request.
- Even if I can scrape together some funds to pay some of the arears, I cannot as the house is now in foreclosure proceedings, when it should not have been?

[eddiep]

BPFL

OMG, that is terrible! No specific advice except to keep going, call them every day. I know they are wearing you down but dont give up! They could still stop this.

I don't understand, why are there soo many involved? Metlife, First American, First Horizon?

You might need to go up the food chain at this point to get things moving. I see you are on loansafe too, see if they can get you an email address or mailing address to the CEO (I guess to all three involved?) or I am sure you could google the names and addresses. Write the CEO and give a brief explanation that you have been approved and the foreclosure is proceeding, and you are getting the run around and fear you are falling between the cracks and attach a copy of the log you are keeping. I went straight to the top at BoA and it worked for me. You would be surprised how much pull they have over stuff like this, and if they know the big cheese is watching, they may be less incompetent.

[BPFL]

Update

OK, so this is a summary of what has transpired thus far:
- My lawyer issued a response the Lis Pendens,
- My lawyer issed a interrigation and request for the loan docs for review,
- NO response from firm for First Horizon and time expired for their response,
- Follow up letter to the legal firm for the First horizon asking for coorporation and providing the docs for review,
- NO response from firm for First Horizon and time expired for their response,
- My lawyer filed a motion to compel for generation of the documents and a court date was set,
- Firm representing First Horizon attended the court date and was granted 20 days to provide the documentation,
- Firm representing First Horizon still do not respond to court order and time exired,
- My lawyer filed a motion for contempt.

Meanwhile, I have submitted a 3rd modification request, becasue Met Life (who now owns First Horizon) told me that the loan is a fannie mae loan and that the documents/modification package have to be within a certain amount of days otherwise they expire and a new packet has to be submitted. so basically they sat on it for sooooo long that the "age" of the docs expired.

when is this going to end.... they have people who are willing to work out something and willing to stay in the house, but they are dragging their feet and putting us through the added expense of obtaining a lawyer and in the meantime, the property value is plomerting and the missed payment, interes and fees are escalating. By the time any sort of modification can be achieved the fees may be astronomical....where is the common sense with these people?
Can someone advise me as to what and where their impression of the legal battle is heading too. I just need some piece of mind here...

Thanks.

[eddiep]

bpfl

I wish I had some advice I could offer... I have none, but I did want to offer you some encouragement. I was successful in getting a modification on my first and both second mortgages. I took 6 months and a million phone calls to Bank of America but it did work out for me. I believe that persistance and patience are key. Keep at it and good luck!

[missdooly]

Metlife-don't get me started

I am horrified yet not surprised by these stories. I too was put in foreclosure when I should not have been. I was promised that I could catch up by Jan. 29th. When I called 2 days later on Jan 14th to confirm where to send the check, I was told by a representative that I was in foreclosure and never made a promise to anyone to send money. I wanted to speak to a supervisor. NO ONE would let me. I wanted a copy of all my recorded conversations. No luck there!! The foreclosure reinstatement was $1000.00 more tagged onto my bill.
Now, I'm trying to fax the so called "work out" package to them and it's busy busy busy. So, I've called for the past 2 days. I'm put on hold for 50 minutes or so each time. Then, someone picks up the phone and says that they are transferring me and I'm disconnected. I have a feeling that it is done on purpose. They can see my loan number. It is as if they want for your home to be foreclosed upon once you get stuck in the horrible lost mitigation department of Metlife. Now, I'm going to see if I can borrow money from family to get reinstatement of the loan, but I'm so scared that won't even be enough to escape these people. None of their stories are the same. Any thoughts as to what in the world to do? We've got to stop this!

[BPFL]

Ok this is just crazy. so apparently since my lawyer filed a motion for contempt I have magically been contacted by First American, who is contracted by First Horizon, asking me to re-submit recent copies of my paystubs, keep in mind that it is now feb 2010 and I submitted my 3rd modification request in Dec 2009. I faxed the stubs in last week, and again magically First American calls me two days ago, at 8 am asking me for the same info. I told the rep I faxed it in last week, she puts me on hold to check the file, and suddenly the docs that I faxed in are there. She tells me that they are expediting this to see how best they can help me out. what is so funny is that all this sudden contact came from them a few days after the motion for contempt was filed by my lawyer and a court date set for march 2, 2010...... don't know what is going on with these people.....they seem to be rushing to get me something before the court date for contempt as their lawyer has not responded to any of my former requests, or the courts orders...... these people are sickening....

[missdooly]

I'm so sorry

Dear BPFL,
Wholy cow what you have been through. After reading all this, I'm getting family to help me just reinstate the thing rather than going through all that. I know that somehow it will expire and the sale date would be set and that's it since so many balls are dropped at their end. I'd just rather get it current and negotiate after the fact. I'm sure that won't be easy either. I've been reading so many other threads in other forums about this company. I suspect that there will be a class actions against these banks that give the run around. It is as if they want you to lose the property. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted. Oh and BTW, I called lost mitigation back and entered in my social instead of my loan number. My call was picked up immediately. That could be coincidental, but nothing surprises me anymore.

[noja518]

Mortgage Modification Nightmare with MetLife Home Loans!

________________________________________

Due to a series of unfortunate events, I fell behind on mortgage payments by two months last summer. I initially applied with Metlife Home Loans through the HOPE NOW Program in June 2009. I kept in constant contact with MetLife making sure they knew exactly what the situation was all the while hoping that I would be able to catch things up.

In August 2009, adviced by Metlife to contact by First American LMS which started talking about options instead of Metlife just demanding money. They asked me to complete a “workout package” which was essentially just asking for all my financial details, proof of employment, amounts in savings…etc. I was sent a contract drafted by First American LMS, to make three trial payments for September, October, and November while my package was in review for modification. (They did not explain that these modified payments would be applied to arrears while my application was in review, They did not tell me that while in review and making modified payments that they would be reporting my mortgage as unpaid for the duration of the review process essentially creating irreversible damage to my score.)
I returned this packet with first trial payment in September as agreed. I sent it FedEx overnight to First American LMS ( the third party processor approved for processing applications due to high volume of applications Metlife was receiving in response to the Making Home Affordable Program) and I got confirmation it was delivered. First payment was sent to First American; then the next to Metlife; and finally the third payment was sent overnight to Metlife but they did not post it until 10 days later. I got a letter stating I did not qualify because posting delay put me beyond the date payment was due. I contacted Metlife. The rep said they do not know why the letter stated this because I have made my modified payments as agreed; but that to call back and check because it is still in review. In December, I called to follow up. I was advised to wait for a workout package which has still never come. At that point, I was told to continue making trial payments until I receive an answer. I sent in two additional trial payment amounts which were returned to me because they did not meet enough of the total balance due on my mortgage since I was “no longer under a trial modification plan”. I was then advised it would be best to withhold all payments until I receive a response; I called again in January and was told to verify mailing address and to wait for the package being re-sent and that still has yet to come. Again I was told, if you send payments less than the total balance, your payment will be rejected by our systems so it would be best to hold the funds until your application is reviewed. I called again in February 2010 only to be told yet again why I should just hold money until modification review is complete, that collections activity up to and including foreclosure process may occur and asked if I have considered a short sale? or Have I already listed my home for sale?
I asked if they would put in writing that I should withhold payment until I receive a response; but, they state they “cannot generate letters like that on their computers” or that they can only generate pre-printed letters to mail.

I have been calling every 2 to 4 weeks just staying in contact and trying to see if there was any progress. I was repeatedly told that it was “in review”. I eventually was told that my account had been assigned to Kim, employee identifier UKI (not real name) in the corporate office in Irving, Texas. Kim provided me with a fax number and an extension. (You cannot reach her via the extension). On the same day, I faxed in the information requested. I printed my fax confirmation and have put it with all the documents related to my loan modification application. I was told it takes 7-10 days to upload my financial documents into their system. It still has not been uploaded into their system. I called after 15 days and it still had not been uploaded. I called again five days later and it still was missing in action as of 3/2/2010. When I called in on 3/2, I was ultimately told that my fax confirmation only verifies that a fax came through the number not that the documents have been received. I was then asked who I faxed it to and what number I faxed documentation to.
I then asked the rep if I could send it in by certified mail; and, they said yes; however they “cannot advise me on that mailing method since it would cost me money” to send it in that way. I asked rep for an address to mail it to. She provided an address: 4000 Horizon Way, Irving , TX.
To this day I have received no official response regarding the status of my loan modification application which was started in June 2009 through the HOPE NOW website.

I really don’t know what to do anymore. I have been in panic mode holding all payroll and paying only light bill, phone bill, water bill, car note and insurance, and groceries. My credit is now damaged so horribly!

No one at MetLife will even acknowledge that I was sent and returned a modification. Any time I mention it, whoever I am talking to gets annoyed and just tries to repeat that scripted message from Metlife about how a modification is not guaranteed and that I should know that “collections activity will continue up to and including the foreclosure process.” I was also asked if I could pay higher amounts they had a payment plan but it would raise my monthly payment (which leads me to wonder why they even bother because it does not seem to make sense to me; I mean, why would anyone be able to pay more if presently claiming economic hardship and applying for loan modification?)

I have been consistently told unless I can send in a payment that will bring me within one month late ; that they will reject my payment. The bank is refusing to accept payments less than $12,000 because I now owe $14,000 as of March 1, 2010. I have offered to send in payment of $9,900 and they say they will not accept it because it does not cover the $12,000 past due. I am frustrated and feel hopeless. I do not trust this lender and feel that their dealings are unscrupulous and that they may be violating consumer rights with these misleading and unfair communication practices. It is emotionally stressful, affecting my health and outlook, and I feel that there is no regard for the good faith efforts that I have made to communicate and try to resolve this with the full intention of staying in my home.

Also the reason for having to submit new information is quoted as follows

"First American was not handling processing quckly enough so Metlife had to recall all the dockets sent out to them."

"Financial information remains valid for only 60 days"...a fact they did not explain at all until I specifically asked how often should I be re-submitting documentation?

Finally noone can respond as to when I can anticipate the review process will be complete!!!!!!! FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!


I used alot of someone else's post because the story was so similar to my experience...that it just seemed perfectly worded. Thanks to the original author!!!!! Hard to share this frustrating experience but may prove helpful....does noone else think this may lead to class action?

[fixdmix]

Yikes

Wow this is scary. I have also been trying to submit a modification with MetLife for over 6 months... I have found them to be the absolute worst, most screwed up, abysmally inept company I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with, and while it has been horrific, I haven't (yet) been through half of what I've read above. I am now starting the process all over... I'll post my progress at a later time. But I can tell you that after reading what I did, it is seriously disheartening, as I believe every word of it.

Yes... I don't understand how a company that holds so many folks' financial well being in their slimy clutches can be allowed to function this way. I would hope to see some class action proceedings.

Good luck to all, thanks for your stories and input.

M

[noja518]

latest

Metlife paid to begin the foreclosure process by filing a lis pendens on Mrch 15, 2010. They gave me 20 days to respond. I did respond in full detailwith a copy to the attorney as well as to the court. The eleventh circuit court mandates mediation before proceeding with a foreclosure. This is a great thing! I am waiting on a date for mediation. The courts are so backed up; it may take some time. In the meantime; after all of this, Metlife transferred my loan to another servicer effective May 1, 2010. I have started from scratch the hardship process with the new servicer in hopes they will respond better than Metlife did. I do know that the government cannot force lenders to modify...only strongly provide incentives that make it worth it for the lender to modify loans. Good luck! I do not think any action can be brought against them for their unethical practices.