The banking behemoth Wells Fargo recently made national headlines after it admitted it wrongly foreclosed on hundreds of homes due to a computer error. The issue might not have been initially addressed, because another computer glitch was recently blamed for hundreds of more foreclosures. For those in Florida who are hoping to stop home foreclosure, this news may be particularly unsettling.
One of the affected homeowners says that everything started when they discovered mold in their home. After spending months of trying to fix the problem himself, he began to struggle with his monthly mortgage payment. He and his wife then contacted Wells Fargo, requesting a loan modification. At the time they asked for lower monthly payments and were initially told they were approved.
However, after months of delays, they had to restart the process. By that time they were behind on about a year’s worth of mortgage payments, and Wells Fargo refused to modify their loan. They ultimately lost their home to foreclosure, and the couple parted ways. Approximately three years after the foreclosure, the man received a letter from Wells Fargo that said he should have been approved for a modification and that a computer glitch was to blame for the error. The bank also sent him $25,000, but he says that does not even begin to cover his losses.
Losing a house to home foreclosure can be emotionally devastating, but it does not have to be inevitable. In general, many Florida homeowners can find an agreeable solution to their issues by reaching out to their lenders. Whether requesting a loan modification for lowered monthly payments or temporarily deferred payments, this can help individuals avoid losing their homes.