I had to switch my home insurance to a new company as my old insurance company decided to leave my state. So, I got new insurance and paid for it out of my pocket as soon as I signed up. So far so good. About a week later, I get a nasty letter from U.S. Bank telling me that they put an expensive insurance policy on my account that I will have to pay for unless I send them proof of my new insurance (which I verified with my new insurance company that they already sent out proof of insurance). But, I had them do it again per U.S. Bank’s request. Then, about a week later, I get an email stating that U.S. Bank paid my insurance – the new insurance that I already paid in full when I signed up. So, I call them up. First, I was lied too and told that my new insurance company sent them a bill – not proof of insurance – which was a straight out lie as I have a copy of what they sent (it was not a bill).
Then, when I asked them to put that money back into my escrow account – they said they couldn’t – that I was just out of luck (out of luck from their own incompetence). Then, after escalating this to a senior call representative (who had to be the rudest person I have ever talked too) – I got them to stop payment on the check (which the first person said was impossible) and put that money back into my account. However, this took a lot of time – a lot of time on the phone trying to get them to do their jobs (several calls over several days) and a lot of time for them to actually do the right thing. However, in the mean time, my property taxes were coming due and since they incorrectly sent out an insurance payment – there was not enough money in my escrow to cover my property taxes.
Thus, I went down – like a responsible person – and paid my property taxes on my own as there would not be enough money in my escrow to pay it. But, when U.S. Bank finally put the wrongly paid insurance payment back into my escrow account, they then tuned around and paid my property taxes (which were no longer due as they were already paid). So, I had to call U.S. Bank again – and again got an extremely rude person who told me that they verified that my taxes were due (a complete lie as I was looking at a receipt stating that my taxes were paid in full). I then asked them to put that money back into my account – U.S. Bank refused. I then asked to be escalated to a senior call representative. And, I got another rude person – was only told that her name was Amy – would not provide a last name or even a last initial. I then asked to be transferred to a supervisor – who again was very condescending and rude (her name was Kathy Phelps).
Not only did she tell me they would do nothing about their mistake (even though she confirmed that they never verified anything) and that I was just out of luck regarding my own money and that it should make its way back to either me or them eventually (eventually). I then asked her to escalate this situation to the next level. But, she refused. First, she said that if I got any madder, I would have a heart attack (I guess I am not suppose to get upset when they are wasting my money) Then, she kept saying over and over again that she was the last person, that she was the top person in all of U.S. Bank – that there was no other above her (so, I guess she is the CEO, Chairman, president, etc. of all of U.S. Bank) – at this point I gave up and will just prey that my money gets back to either me or my escrow eventually (maybe by the time my taxes are due again next year – maybe?).
So, two conclusions from my own personal observations:
1) U.S. Bank’s personnel – especially their customer service people – are either poorly trained, incompetent or they just do not care about customers (it is not their money they are playing with after all). And, too that note,
2) They seem to have no concern about your or my or their customer’s money – it is just numbers on a computer screen to them and if they make a mistake with your money – they do not care – at all.
Lastly, looking back even on the very first time I called U.S. Bank – they answered the phone in a mad and rude manner. It must be that they screw up so much that every call they get turns out to be a screaming match.
Think they would be better off if they just did their jobs properly – that is what I am paying them to do after all.
Conclusion – if you can, stay away from U.S. Bank as your life will be better for it (way too many financial institutions out there that actually want and will earn your business plus it is so easy to switch these days) and if you can’t – like me as I cannot fire my escrow company – then know that over the life of your home loan, U.S. Bank will make your life hell while you continue to pay at least 1% of your hard earned monthly interest to them just for the privilege of being treated badly by them.
Joe
Crossville,#2Author of original report
Mon, December 01, 2014
As you can see by their response - they just do not care about their customers. And, it is this attitude that eventually made me turn into the opposite of a ray of sun shine. They get paid by me - a percentage of my interest each month - to properly service my loan and payments. Yet, they don't do what they are being paid to do. They just cannot be trusted. They pay non-bills then wonder why responsible people like me try to take matters into my own hands (to make sure my accounts are paid - it is my responsibility in the end after all as I am the one that will lose my house for non-payment - not them). They claim they just have too many customers and they cannot verify them all - maybe they need less customers - get it down to a number they can actually manage without screwing them all.
What a bad company. I did ask to get rid of the escrow and take care of it myself - but THEY said no (because they want my payment - won't earn it but want it none the less). What a bad company - it is exactly companies like this U.S. Bank that threw us in the financial crisis we still cannot get out of and continue to drag down our country - and all they do is blame their customers. Want to stop all of this from happening in the first place U.S. bank - then you should have never paid a non-bill proof of insurance than lie about it and try to tell me it was all my fault - everything since started at that very incompetent moment. Lastly, if you cannot verify every account (as you just have too many customers) then what are you getting paid for????
Robert
Irvine,#3Consumer Comment
Thu, November 27, 2014
So here is a question for you. What is an Escrow Account for. It is to pay things such as your insurance and property taxes...right?
This is EXACTLY what they did, they paid your insurance and the property taxes...so there is no "mistake".
You say you are nothing more than numbers on a computer screen. Well guess what..you are right. They(like every other bank and mortgage lender) has hundreds of thousands of customers. It would be IMPOSSIBLE for them to verify in advance if their is still insurance or property taxes due for every single customer, or if they were paid already.
Oh and yes, they probably did verify your taxes were due...when the statement was issued most likely several months ago.
For your property taxes what you SHOULD have done was add the deficency balance into your Escrow account and let them pay the taxes as normal. Did you at least contact them in advance and say you were going to pay the taxes?...my guess is NO.
In all honesty it sounds like an Escrow account isn't for you..perhaps you should talk to them and see if you can remove the Escrow account so you can just take care of it on your own.
Lastly, looking back even on the very first time I called U.S. Bank – they answered the phone in a mad and rude manner.
- And I bet you were just a ray of sunshine when you called them all upset that they paid your insurance and you were having to deal with them.