Talking to Anyone Who Will Listen

[aimster]

I had recently sent my correspondence with HSBC to our local Congressman, Attorney General, VP, Pres...and anyone else would I thought might want to hear our story. I found out in the newspaper that our local Congressman holds "coffee hour" on Mondays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. So, this morning I went.

The gentleman that worked WITH the Congressman introduced himself to me, and when I told him my name, he said "I recognize your name from somewhere". Ha! Must be from all the letters I've been copying his office on! I'm getting popular!

Anyhoo, I expressed my real live crisis to our Congressman in front of 9 other people. I am getting good at telling our story now, without crying. He played the politician role...said to keep talking to/contacting our mortgage company, yada yada. The Congressman asked who had been assigned to our "case" from his office. I told him I had not heard from a single soul. I then choked up a bit, and by the end of the meeting the Congressman was telling me to send everything to his assistant (who was there with him) so that he could handle it personally. He told me that he's been meeting with major lenders and that they (his office) may be able to help me work with the mortgage company on coming to a solution. Who knows...worth a shot, eh?

I looked on the website and found that our Governor also holds "constituent hours". So, I just sent in my request to have them set up a time so I could have 5-10 minutes to talk to the Governor about my concerns.

Worth a shot...I keep copying all of them on all of my paperwork, but everyone knows that the actual representative themselves probably never sees the paperwork. If they hear our stories first hand... from people who are in this mess, then maybe someone will join forces and help us all win this battle in the end.

I'll keep you all posted...

Nail their sorry behinds to the subject, you are a constituent and voter, so are a whole ton of others in the same boat. Make them sit up and listen, this could be happening to their family, friends or co-workers and most likely it is. People are silent on this crisis to ashamed and scared....bring it home to these officials.

[Antonio]

Originally Posted by aimster

I had recently sent my correspondence with HSBC to our local Congressman, Attorney General, VP, Pres...and anyone else would I thought might want to hear our story. I found out in the newspaper that our local Congressman holds "coffee hour" on Mondays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. So, this morning I went.

The gentleman that worked WITH the Congressman introduced himself to me, and when I told him my name, he said "I recognize your name from somewhere". Ha! Must be from all the letters I've been copying his office on! I'm getting popular!

Anyhoo, I expressed my real live crisis to our Congressman in front of 9 other people. I am getting good at telling our story now, without crying. He played the politician role...said to keep talking to/contacting our mortgage company, yada yada. The Congressman asked who had been assigned to our "case" from his office. I told him I had not heard from a single soul. I then choked up a bit, and by the end of the meeting the Congressman was telling me to send everything to his assistant (who was there with him) so that he could handle it personally. He told me that he's been meeting with major lenders and that they (his office) may be able to help me work with the mortgage company on coming to a solution. Who knows...worth a shot, eh?

I looked on the website and found that our Governor also holds "constituent hours". So, I just sent in my request to have them set up a time so I could have 5-10 minutes to talk to the Governor about my concerns.

Worth a shot...I keep copying all of them on all of my paperwork, but everyone knows that the actual representative themselves probably never sees the paperwork. If they hear our stories first hand... from people who are in this mess, then maybe someone will join forces and help us all win this battle in the end.

I'll keep you all posted...

This is the HSBC CEO email, you can also try sending him a message:
Paul.j.lawrence@us.hsbc.com

[Moe Bedard]

You have done some great things by speaking out and having the courage to talk with your elected officials. Homeowners need a voice and I encourage you all to speak out as much as you can and that can be just with emails, calls, letters and faxes.

Great job aimster!

[JacMac]

I don't think you realize how brave it is to do what you're doing. I don't know if I could do that!!!!!

[6wolverines]

Okay...I'll be the first one to stand up out of my chair and start "the wave" for Aimster!! Keep talking and talking and talking and talking and talking!!

Way to go, girl!!! You are getting very good at telling your story....Don't stop!!

Yay for Aimster!

Char

[elpjohnson]

Wow!! You are amazing aimster!!!! Keep up the good work and keep talking!

[leap4juls]

Hello Aimster, that's great, get in their faces. The squeeky wheel and all that. You have inspired me. I sent my State Senator, Congressman, and Governor letters, quite some time ago, it was 10 months ago. They all wrote letters to division of banking and told them to make it a priority, well they said they would, but the still have not looked at it. I am waiting for a letter from Div. of Banking to ask my mortgage co Popular Inc, to hold off on the foreclosure. They did this back in maybe August. I have been in default since July. Popular Inc was sending people, 2 separate occasions with camera and questions. I was 30 days + 7 late. This really big intimidating guy comes to the door and says he is from POPULAR INC and they want to know why I am in default, and when I will pay this bill. I don't think they are suppose to do this, visit home.

Anyway, I really appreciate what you have found, I am going to check out what NJ has, in way of public meetings, like the coffee talk you attended.

It really does help to write letters. I wish you luck.
juli very good work!!!

[aimster]

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement. I'm done being ashamed and scared. I'm going to be telling "our story" for years to come.

And, thanks for the HSBC's CEO's email! I just sent him one...and plan to everyday until I hear from his office.

HSBC has granted us a one-year interest rate freeze until they come up with more "programs" to help borrowers like us. I say "program? what program...it's a LOAN MODIFICATION, people!". One year is unacceptable. And, as much stress as this has caused us, I refuse to go through this for another year, worrying if the inevitable is just being postponed.

Stay tuned...

[aimster]

Just a small update - got an email from a gentleman from the Michigan Attorney General's office. Since the AG has been working with lenders and hosting foreclosure forums (which turned out - for me - to be useless), he is going to forward our info to their contacts at HSBC.

Our lender is going to think I'm pretty tight with the elected officials!

More to come, I am sure...!

[leap4juls]

You really are an inspiration!
Good Luck!!!! Please post everything, because in NJ I have talked to so many, they yes me, but it doesn't go anywhere.
I can use Michigan as an example to NJ,
You know that is what we should all do. Send any promises one of us gets from our state to the post. We could keep a running state by state listing of local and State government. List help, promises, etc. also list broken promises, or great results or whatever results we get. Even go as far as listing what our very local, mayor, town council, can, can't, will, won't do for us. It is a public call for help! We won't vote for them. Can't we as a group all what is it 1,162 of us + anyone on any other sites, get some press from the mortgage sites, fraud sites, even the non-profits?

I have been unable to be here for 2 months, maybe this has been done?

What do people think?

juls

[leap4juls]

This is from my TiLA/Illinois Is anyone from Illinois? Has this really changed anything?

A "negative equity" loan is prohibited. The amount of a high risk home loan may not exceed the value of the property securing the loan. The Act also restricts the predatory lending practice of "flipping." Section 45 of the Act prohibits a lender from refinancing a covered loan, if the refinancing imposes additional points and fees, within a 12-month period after the original loan agreement was signed, unless the refinancing results in a tangible net benefit to the borrower.

This Act imposes new requirements on the lender to help ensure that the consumer has the financial capacity to take on the debt. A lender violates the Act if the lender does not believe at the time the loan is made that the borrower will be able to make the scheduled payments to repay the debt. Section 15 provides that a borrower is presumed to be able to repay the loan if, at the time the loan is made, the borrower's scheduled monthly payments on the loan, combined with the scheduled payments for all other disclosed debts, do not exceed 50% of the borrower's monthly gross income. The statute requires the lender to verify the borrower's ability to repay the loan by adopting the following practices:

Advice that the borrower should shop around and compare various loan rates being offered; and
Advice to seek credit counseling before taking out the loan.

Enforcement

Any person who knowingly violates the High Risk Home Loan Act also commits a violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (CFDBPA), 815 ILCS 505. Under the CFDBPA, private parties may sue their lenders for violations of that statute and may recover damages and attorney’s fees. Parties who have purchased the debt after the loan was made may be held liable as well if they fail to comply with the provisions of the Act.

Also HOW long did it take Popular to respond more than 20 days???

Represented himself and his loans to us as for residential use but claims they were for business