Complaint Review: First National Bank of Pennsylvania - Hermitage, Edgewater Pennsylvania, Maryland

Below is a summary letter to the president of FNB explaining the wrongful practices within FNB's Branch Managers regarding loan services.

Mr. Vincent J. Delie, Jr.

First National Bank of Pennsylvania

4300 Murray Avenue

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania   15217-2906

Re: Record of Events Regarding First National Bank’s Efforts in Resolving Loan #45******

Dear Mr. Delie:

I would like to first express my regrets in bothering you with the subject issue above, however, I have been unsuccessful with obtaining the necessary corrections based on the related circumstances involving the resolution of my loan.    These circumstances involved numerous misleading statements, promises and excessive delays all created and caused by various First National Bank personnel.    I’ve struggled for over four months in efforts to work towards resolving my loan and was led to believe the issue at hand would be resolved, but I now regret to say that it ended up with various First National Bank personnel not recognizing or understanding the causes together with not honoring what was stated and promised to me.    

Beginning June (1st or 2nd), I stopped by First National Bank’s Edgewater Branch and spoke to Branch Manager (Adrian James) regarding my loan renewal. At that time (approximately three weeks prior to the loan maturity date), Adrian stated that he would look into and find out if any additional or updated information is needed by FNB’s loan department to arrange for my loan renewal. On 06-02-2020, I received a call back from Adrian who had asked for some additional information regarding my loan.     Adrian informed me that someone in FNB’s loan department is now working on the renewal. On 06-04-2020, I received a call from a FNB’s Loan Department person at phone number 610-368-8818 who stated to me that he was working from home on the loan renewal and wanted to ask me for some additional information allowing him to work up the loan renewal.  

I answered all the information he requested. On 06-12-2020, Adrian James called me and indicated that FNB is now not offering this type of loan I have. I expressed to Adrian that I was told from the original Branch Manager that I could renew the loan after the 5 year period. Further, I expressed to Adrian that I would expect that FNB should at least be able to  ‘grandfather’ this loan until I can make arrangements to pay it off. Adrian stated that he would check back with the loan department group to see about ‘grandfathering’ the current loan.    

On 06-15-2020, I received a call from Adrian stating that FNB’s loan division won’t grandfather my loan.    I then expressed to and asked Adrian what options or choices do I now have since FNB has basically run the clock out over the past two weeks to now inform me that FNB won’t renew my loan. Adrian indicated that FNB has other type loans which they could offer, like a 2nd mortgage. I asked Adrian to let me know what interest rate would FNB charge me if I agreed to this type of loan. Adrian asked me to e-mail him some information and statements and he would let me know what my new interest rate would be.  

Meanwhile, I sent an e-mail to Adrian James on 06-15-2020 (copy enclosed) detailing the past several phone discussions regarding the efforts of the failed loan renewal and related delays. Adrian later quoted me an interest rate between 3% and 4% for this alternate type loan. At that time, I indicated to Adrian that if what he quoted me would be the new interest rate together with no application fees and any other costs for converting this type of loan, then go ahead and proceed with the loan. After a week or so, I received a packet of paperwork in the mail indicating that my interest rate would now be at 6.24% for the loan. This totally contradicts what Adrian had quoted me over the phone.

I immediately tried to contact Adrian James at the Edgewater branch on 06-22-2020 to have him explain why the 6.24% interest rate, but was told he was not in the office.    I then asked the assistant, who else can I speak with at FNB regarding this issue.    I was told to contact his manager (Ayo Akintade) who works at the Annapolis branch.      I then spoke to Ayo regarding this packet of information and explained to him that the interest rate number provided in the packet of information received contradicts the number which I was quoted from Adrian James.     Additionally, I expressed to Ayo that FNB had now essentially run out the time on my loan with the maturity date fast approaching.      Ayo expressed to me that he had put a note in FNB’s computer system expressing that I would not be charged any late fee regarding the final resolution of my loan.   Meanwhile, Ayo asked me to e-mail him copies of the packet I received so he could review same and then told me that he or Adrian would soon contact me to follow up on this issue.   

I was again disappointed (2 days passed) in that I did not hear back from either person leaving me with several unanswered questions.    For the above reasons, concerns and lack of responses, I decided on 06-24-2020 to now arrange for Wells Fargo to assist me with helping at paying off this loan.     I then communicated to FNB via e-mail that I had made arrangements with Wells Fargo to now work towards paying off this loan.     Again, I wasn’t getting a timely response from the Edgewater Branch Manager, so I sent an e-mail to Ayo of the Annapolis branch asking for same.       I also arranged for Wells Fargo and FNB to communicate together in efforts that both banks would be able to work out the details of paying off this loan.   It appeared again that FNB was having difficulty in generating or providing the proper and necessary information to Wells Fargo which added to further delays.    It was at this time that FNB stated that I now owed the late penalty fee of nearly $13,000.00.    

I called FNB’s Customer Service Group on 07-14-2020 to explain the many delays created by the Edgewater Branch and to see who can resolve the late penalty fee issue.     I spoke to Matthew (Customer Service Representative) who recorded everything and indicated to me that a James Aryee would contact me within 24 to 48 hours to discuss same.    Again I was disappointed in that no one called me within the 48 hour time frame.     On 07-21-2020, I again called FNB’s Customer Service Group to follow up on why I didn’t receive a call from James Aryee.    Additionally, I asked the customer representative to allow me to talk with FNB’s Chief Loan Officer, but was told that FNB doesen’t have a Chief Loan Officer.     

 I repeated the entire story again to the Customer Service Representative who recorded same and then asked me to hold while she checked with someone.      I was then surprisingly transferred to the Edgewater Branch which disappointed me since it was this branch’s lack of effort which initiated my call to the Customer Service Group in the first place.     I then talked with the Edgewater Branch Assistant (Christine) who told me that Adrian James was in a meeting and that she would ask him to call me back once he was out of the meeting.     Well, I didn’t receive a call back that day from Adrian.     The following day, I called the Edgewater Branch and spoke to Christine and explained that I never heard from Adrian.     She told me that he was currently on a phone call and would I please hold.      After 10 minutes, Adrian then spoke to me and explained that he didn’t know who within FNB’s loan division could assist with resolving the late penalty fee.      Adrian stated that he didn’t have the authority to remove the late fee.      Again, I was always led to believe that the Branch Manager was trying to identify who within FNB’s organization could fix this issue so that I could arrange for Wells Fargo to pay off the loan.

I continued to follow up with Adrian regularly to see what success he was having with identifying the correct person within FNB’s Loan Division who could assist.     Since no apparent progress was being made, I again called FNB’s Customer Service number on 09-03-2020 and spoke to Carvis.    After explaining all past issues to Carvis, I was transferred to Anastasia, (FNB’s Mortgage Group Department) who I again explained all the past issues and delays.    Anastasia stated to me that she would send a request to someone in FNB’s Loan Maintenance Department who should be able to review all the issues and contact me within 24 to 48 hours.     After two days, no one had contacted me.     Meanwhile, I continued to send regular requests to Adrian to see what success if any that he was having.    

After two weeks, (09-17-2020) I finally received a call from a Rand Burkey who was following up on the customer service call I placed two weeks prior on 09-03-2020.     After a lengthy discussion and review of all the issues, Rand Burkey stated that he needed to now follow up with Adrian and would then get back to me.

Well, I did not hear back from Rand Burkey for over a week, but on 09-25-2020, I received a letter from FNB’s Loan Adjustment Department stating that FNB was going to take legal action if I didn’t pay off the full loan amount including late penalty fees and additional interest.     I then called the number listed in this notification letter to discuss this matter with someone.     I spoke to Cathy on 09-25-2020 regarding the letter and she said everyone was either out to lunch, in meetings or not in the office.      She said someone would call me back later that day.     Again, no one called me back that day.

On 09-28-2020, Rand Burkey called me and explained that FNB wasn’t willing to make any corrections or waivers to the late penalty fees together with correcting the interest over-charges which occurred over the past 5 years.    I can only wonder if Rand Burkey may not have received all the facts, issues, misrepresentations, delays, false promises, etc from both the Edgewater Branch Manager (Adrian James) and the Annapolis Branch Manager (Ayo Akintade) as to the circumstances contributing to all the delays resulting in the late penalty fee and other interest over-charges.

In efforts to end the long and ongoing incompetent practices of the Branch Managers, I believed it was necessary to go ahead and make arrangements with Wells Fargo to pay off the loan in early October 2020.    I then figured I would need to correspond with someone at your level to see if you would look into this issue and consider correcting the many wrongs that were caused and created by the local Branch Managers.

In support of my above statements, I’ve enclosed only a few of several past e-mails for your consideration and review.   These corresponding e-mails were sent to the Branch Managers to which some were occasionally ignored and unanswered.

The facts alone regarding all the delays, refusing to renew the loan, not able to timely identify who within FNB has the authority to correct loan issues, customer service practices, misrepresentations, promises, etc, are all indicators that create the appearance of questionable practices by the many individuals which I had communicated within FNB from June through early October.

I would like to believe and hope that you would be able to recognize and understand that it was not my actions that created the delays and ended up with the late penalty fee.    I would like to also believe that you have the ability and authority to make the necessary corrections to the wrongful charges relating to my loan which others within FNB have failed to properly do so.

Lastly, I would like to thank you for taking and spending any time in reviewing this letter and related enclosures together with learning what actions and efforts you may take regarding this matter.     Should you need any additional information, just kindly let me know.

Sincerely,

Disappointed Customer Since FNB President did nothing to correct the ongoing questionable practices within FNB