Complaint Review: Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance Inc. - Maryville Tennessee

I became a widow this past November 20.  After the death of my husband I called Vanderbilt to ask for help so I would not lose my home.  I was told at that time they would do whatever they could to help me.  They asked for my husband's death certificate and I faxed it to them.  They also asked for proof of my salary (I am disabled and had to quit my job 2 years ago).  I was told when I called them back in December that my trailer payments were going up from $540 a month to $672.  When I asked why they told me they didn't know. 

I called back to find out what was going on because I did not hear anything from them.  I was informed the reason for the increase was because they had obtained flood insurance for me.  I asked them why they had not contacted me about this they said they had several times but I told them I had not seen any correspondense from them.  I again asked if there was any way they could help me lower my house payments or maybe even put my January payment at the end of the payments to be paid later. 

Instead the guy I was talking to began asking me what bills I owed each month and how much each bill was.  I gave him this information without thinking they could be violating my rights but I was still grieving my husband's death.  He then informed me I should have had $700 extra a month according to my husband's income and mine.  I informed him my husband's SS check was making the trailer payments and since I was no longer receiving his income I did not have the money to pay for our home. 

I told him again I was only trying to find a way to not lose my home.  He became very biligerent asking me where the extra money had gone and I was so rattled I could not give him an answer.  Then he said, "Well, you should have had $700 extra each month, unless you lied to me earlier when you told us your expenses."  I later informed him, during another call, which I made to them that the extra money had gone to my husband's care (he had died of cancer) and his medical bill from last year totaled over $90,000. 

The flood insurance they purchased was $1580 a year.  I contacted an insurance agent here in my town in January and discovered I could get insurance for $399 a year which would significantly decrease my house payments.  I had the insurance company fax this information over to them.  I was told a week later they had not received the FAX even though I watched the insurance company fax it to them.  I contacted the insurance company again and they verified they did send the fax but would send it again. 

Vanderbilt has been hounding me about this month's payment.  I have told them I am doing everything humanly possible.  I informed them I attempted to get my car payments lowered but was turned down, I had lowered a few of my bills, but a couple of them were on two year contracts. 

Almost every person I have talked with about my delimna has been rude and short with me.  It is bad enough to have lost someone I loved without having to deal with such rude people when I am attempting to continue my payments. 

When I inquired about my flood insurance last week the lady on the line asked are you calling about making this month's payment?  I said no I am still working on it I am calling to see if they got my flood insurance information yet.  She told me yes but didn't think it would be in force until March.  Then she asked, "When you are going to make this month's payment?  You know it has to be made by the 31st."  I told her I was aware of that and I was working on it.  The guy I talked with asked me when I talked to him about this month's payment, "How do you plan on making February 1's payment if you pay January's payment on the 31st.  I told him I didn't have any idea.  I was doing my best.

I have a grown son who lives with me.  For the past 15 years he has stayed home to care for his dad.  I was asked how he was trying to help me and I informed them that my son is in need of surgery (he has a 12 inch section of his colon that is infected but the surgeon won't set up an appointment to talk to him about the surgery unless we can come up with $500 first).  I told him he was currently looking for work but was unable to find any. 

This company has asked me a lot of questions about things that I feel did not pertain to me seeking help.  I have repeatedly asked for help but for the most part have been treated disrespectfully.  I don't know what to do about this situation.  I am a nervous wreck and don't know where to turn.  This has been on-going since the latter part of November with no resolution.  I am at my wit's end.