Saturday, December 18, 2010

The Screw-Ups Continue At BofA; Servicer Sends Notices Of Tax Delinquency To 1,100 Borrowers Who'd Actually Paid Their Taxes

In Clark County, Washington, The Columbian reports:
  • A letter sent to hundreds of Bank of America’s mortgage borrowers in Clark County contained news no one wants to hear: Your home could be foreclosed for nonpayment of property taxes. The letter from a Bank of America affiliate was sent to about 1,100 Clark County homeowners who’d actually paid their taxes.(1)

  • Homeowners were quick to take action. Clerks at the Clark County Treasurer’s office fielded hundreds of queries last week from worried homeowners, said Michelle Denman, the office’s tax service manager.

  • A Bank of America official acknowledged the mixup Monday, saying the bank had requested tax payment status reports on Bank of America mortgage-holders before the final payments were due. Many people do not pay taxes until close to the due date.

  • We sincerely apologize to those customers who received the letter in error,” said [the frequently apologetic] Jumana Bauwens, spokesperson for Bank of America Home Loans.

For more, see Bank of America’s tax letter misses its mark (Bank said payments for 1,100 homes were late — before due date).

(1) Reportedly, the letter offers a toll-free number for property owners to call if they are unable to pay the taxes, and a final section, with additional website and phone contact information, falls under the heading “THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS.”