Countrywide Home Retention Department

[Morris]

We refinanced our home in 2003 with a broker, fixed rate of 6%. The broker then sold the loan to CW about 60 days later.

In Jan 2006, my wife and I decided to relocate so she could be near her ailing mother and grandmother. My wife relocated first to find a job and a place for us to stay. I left my job to stay home with the kid. After school was out for the summer, we placed the house on the market and had a contingency contract in 12 days, backed by 1% guaranteed escrow. Things looked good. We even put 20% down on a small house to live in till our old house sold. Unfortunately, the market went south, the contract fell through, and my wife lost her new job. I moved from the old house to the new one and found a new job. We managed to keep up payments on the old house for 2 years then we fell behind.

We started getting calls from CW wanting to know when the next payment will be sent, check our income, and asked if we could borrow from family, etc.. When they found out the house was vacant (thus losing a little bit of leverage), they offered discussing a short sale if we find a buyer, etc.. Now they have turned us over to their Home Retention Department.

The Home Retention Department (or HoRDe as I like to call them because there is a constant horde of people calling me) started by asking what assets we had to sell and how much cash we had. I told them that I was uncomfortable providing personal information over the phone and if they could send me something in writing, then I would address the issue. They refused.

As a matter of fact, every time I ask for something in writing from anyone calling from Countrywide, they refuse.

The most recent call came from someone wanting to "review" our account to see if we qualify for a "deed in lieu". When I ask what they will be reviewing, they just tell us "your account" and refuse to provide specifics. Again, when I ask for this information in writing, they refuse. They insist that this can only be handled over the phone and that they have done this many times.

The following is not exact wording but gives the general idea behind what the phone call was like:

CW - Its no big deal, you are not signing or agreeing to anything.
Me - I would be agreeing to let you review my account.
CW - Yes.
Me - Then I would be agreeing to something. If it is no big deal, then why do you have to ask my permission to review my account.
CW - We do this all the time.
Me - Well I refuse to agree to anything over the phone. My lawyer would insist that we have everything in writing. Please send the information in writing and I will look it over.
CW - We do not have this information in writing because there is no reason to.
Me - I am more than willing to work with you but I need to know to what I am agreeing to in writing.
CW - Well, hopefully you can find a buyer for your home.

Is anyone else experiencing these types of calls in which CW wants you to agree to things on the phone but refuse to provide details regarding what you are agreeing to?

[Moe Bedard]

Hi MORRIS,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for joining..........

You may want to fire off a QWR for servicing complaint issues.........
Click on the link for a sample and explanation........this can help.......send it certified mail return receipt request to the customer service number on your statment......


Free Foreclosure Help - Loan Modification - Mortgage Help

[countrywidehelp]

Yes, what you describe is exactly what they are doing. I also prefer financial decisions in written paperwork, not verbals with CW. This is so disheartening when they give you the run around. Same here...sent the letter and they acknowledge imaging to my account but say they will not read it ???

Now when calling "Welcome to the Home Retention Team, We're here to Help", my calls get transferred to Loan Servicing in India. 8 a.m. California - don't qualify for load modification, but at 11 a.m., same day, in India, they will be happy to verbally take all my financial information and indeed say that I do qualify for a loan modification...hmmmm???? Just - don't - feel - comfortable, Jim.

What I find interesting on this site is we people want to do the right thing and CW is providing a dis-service in not addressing the hand full of honest people not trying to take advantage of the situation. I applaud you all for wanting to do the right thing.

[Nabuccotup]

Where is admin?! By the way, anybody home?! bye bye )