Household Finance Reviews

It was pretty good. My interest rate went down for 6 months to 4.5%. It helped me make my mortgage payments and we got caught up. At the end of the 6 months, the interest rate went back up to 10.5%. Again, I called to see if I could get another loan modification. No problem. I got a 12-month modification loan. This time though, the interest rate ended up being 6%. Oh well, it was better than 10.5%. I continued to make my payments on time. After those 12 months ran out, we were back to square one again with a mortgage payment of $1500. There was no way I could pay this. Also, this did not include my taxes.

When we took out the original loan, we were told that we would be responsible to pay our taxes separately to our township. So, it was to agree to that or no loan. So like dummies, we agreed. We seemed okay and paid our taxes. Anyhow, now that the 12 months had run out, I again called HFC to see if they could continue to help us out. No problem. Well it was a huge problem for us. I received paperwork in the mail 3 months later where my monthly payments would be $1664.00 a month and this time they escrowed our account. Our taxes were now included (I was also told not to make any mortgage payments during the approval time).

They told me that if I did not agree to this, I would have to pay the mortgage payments (that went back 3 months that they originally told me not to pay while waiting for approval); it would need to be paid within a month. Fat chance on that happening. So, I signed the papers with stupidity. I should never have done it. I can't keep up with this payment. I am now 85 days behind on my mortgage. I pay every month but by the skin of my teeth. I even went so far as sending a letter to President Obama about this company.

Yesterday, in the mail, I received a letter back from the White House telling me that they have forwarded my letter to the appropriate agency for further review. I hope it gets into the right hands and we can get some help here. Also, to add, HFC continuously told me to go to HUD - I did that also. HUD told me to sell my car and get a cheaper one. You can't do that when you owe more on the car then what it is worth. HUD also told me to sell my home. I tried that too. It sat on the market for years. It didn't matter what we tried to do; we just can't seem to get out from under all this debt.

My understanding is if they would have helped us before we filed chapter 7, we could have saved our home. I just need someone to listen to me and help me get back what is mine and my husband's. Everybody keeps saying it takes a lot of money to fight these people. I paid $500.00 to Loveland Law Office, but she said I needed bigger lawyers to help with this. So if someone would please help me. Thank you.

Sure enough, after talking, we switched over our mortgage to them and also had another loan on the side after I lost my job. I swear, the day we entered that building was the day our lives changed for the worse. We became house poor overnight and all our payments to them monthly weren't even making a dent. But we stuck it out with them for 10 years but keeping up with the payment put us behind in land taxes. A couple of months ago, we started getting behind on payments and we were pretty deep in the hole on taxes by now, so we called to ask if they could put the balance on the back end of our loan. The agent said it wouldn't be a problem and he would contact us in a couple of days after we sent them a bunch of information.

A couple of days went by and no one called, so we called back. This time it was a different agent we talked to and explained what was going on. This agent told us that we could not get the balance put on the back end of our loan so we were totally confused. Next the phone calls began with people that must read off scripts and are just lifeless, "Can you make a payment today of the past due amount?" I said no and I told them I needed help. A pause and, "Can you make a payment today of the past due amount," and that's when you are red in the face and probably yell some sort of profanity at them and hang up. My wife and I talked to a total of 10 different agents in a month and every time it was always a different answer. Finally they sent it to an expert in their company so we were thinking okay, maybe something would get done finally.

We would call her and always it went to voice mail and she would never call back and she usually took about 5 days to respond. After the phone tag, we finally talked and we told her what was going on and she requested the same information we sent out already numerous times. We had 2 loans but every time they reviewed, they looked at the small loan and not the mortgage even though we wrote the number down and told them repeatedly what loan to look at. A couple of weeks went by and the expert sent us a letter saying they could not help us because we make too much money. Remember, I went almost 2 years without work so we managed to dig a pretty big hole with them. We couldn't catch up but we fought and fought and stayed afloat somehow.

As of today, I pay $1,300 a month for a home that is valued at around $110,000 and we are just throwing money away on interest for the back taxes. My wife and I sat down a couple of days ago and said, "That's it, we are done." I am handing the house over to them and we are moving on. A deed in lieu is what we are doing or other term "keys for cash". When we called HFC to tell them about this, the tone totally changed and then they started acting like they cared saying, "we can still help you." BS!

Now HFC is trying to get us to move before they do a title search and inspection of the home. Also they are telling us they will not come after us for the remaining balance. Word to the wise, get this in writing and do not go anywhere until everything is done. HFC also stated that they will give you money to relocate if you "qualify". So if this is a path you must take, keep the house in good shape; do not trash it and do not strip it down. The day my wife and I stepped foot into the HFC office was by far the worst day of my life, looking back. By the way, HFC can't even give loans out anymore due to their practices. Good luck to everyone who has had their lives ruined by the greed of this company.

After a few more years went by, we started getting statements with different amounts due. When I called to see why the changes they would say things like "taxes went up" or "insurance went up". Well, we don't even have our taxes included in our payments because we were told by HFC, that they don't do escrow accounts. So why would the payment go up I asked. This has gone on for a few years now. We finally got them to approve us for a temporary hardship due to my husband’s health problems. After 6 months of making each payment on time, we then had to apply for a permanent hardship. What a mess to go through! I had to keep faxing papers and info that they requested over and over; finally, got approved for the permanent hardship. The total payment was supposed to be $906.77 per month. Well, statement for May 2012 showed $1,304.77 due.

I called to ask why it went up so high if we are on a permanent hardship. I was told "We don't do permanent hardships". And we have a paper that was sent to us when we were approved for the permanent hardship and the amount of the payment $906.77 per month. I went ahead and paid for 4 months $1,304.77, starting May 2012 - August 2012. This should have gotten any past amounts due, paid up with extra left over. But not with HFC, they will keep playing games with you and try to ruin your life if they can. They won't accept a payment from us now unless it's $1,172.77. Why this amount? They can't say why. And we have to pay it no later than Nov. 14th or we will need to plan on either a short sale or deed in lieu, whatever that is. I asked the rep if we could pay on November 21st and she said no. If we go ahead and pay this amount on the date she says, then we will get a statement next month showing we didn't pay the correct amount or they will say the payment was late.

We are trying to refinance with a different company but with HFC showing on our credit reports that we are delinquent, we will not get a refinance easy or if we do, it will probably be at a high interest rate. So we are in a mess thanks to HFC, for calling me one evening, lying to me and making me really think we could trust them. If anyone even thinks of getting any kind of loan with this company, be prepared to go through the worst time of your life! HFC is no good! We are thinking about getting a lawyer to help us out. That will cost money but we need to get some help, and soon.

The first payment in October and all the rest to follow was for $100.00. Minimum payment required was between $97 and $99. This loan was marketed as "personal credit line account.” I had paid every month on time for 4 years and the principle balance hardly budged (maybe $100.00!). I called several times and asked about this and all they would say is to pay more every month. So, they were not applying any of my payments toward the principle. Being that HSF is more of a mortgage lender, I think they set this up more of a home-equity loan.

Two years ago, I was forced to move out of my affordable rental due to my landlord selling the house. Now, with higher rent and having to pay for utilities too, I'm now paying close to $300.00 more just to have a roof over my head. So, within a few months of moving here, I had to stop making the monthly payment to HFC. I figured they won't lower the interest rate and/or apply more of my payment to the balance - I'd be paying on this for years for only a $5000 loan!

So, of course, I got the letters and notices for being behind on payments, but I couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't like I didn't have any other bills to pay (that’s at least part of the payment brought down the principle!), so I was getting somewhere with those payments. A few days ago, I got a letter from Daniel Gordon P.C. from Eugene, OR stating they are considering a lawsuit against me. I am considering going through "pre-paid legal" to see if they can help with this issue.

We had asked HSBC Mortgage Services located in Brandon, FL, to lower the interest and payments and to add the delinquency to the life of the term. They said they couldn't do that. They offer these programs, but who qualifies? I see tons of complaints saying the same thing. The last certified letter said we have until July 9th to pay the delinquency in full or they will proceed.

We are both looking for other jobs so we can get caught up, but it's not easy. We have tried other programs and do not qualify. We have exhausted all avenues and hope you are able to help us. We are good people and had a rough patch. We need a break and we are pleading for your help so we can get back on the road to recovery. I am praying very hard that we can resolve this in a timely manner, before we lose our home. I appreciate your time and I hope to hear from you soon, Have a blessed day.

Long story short, I called the very week we made our year anniversary to get the ball rolling. They told me what documents I needed and I took them out to the office. While I was there, I told the guy who processed the original paperwork about the fact that my husband's work was slowing down and this was a good time to do the refinancing. They took the paperwork and I waited for 10 or 12 days or so. Nothing. I called and even went back out there. Nothing. Finally, I called the regional office and asked about the manager who never wanted to return my calls. He gave some sorry excuse about everyone being in meetings. I went back to the office to be told she was not there again, only to see her walk out of the office just before I left. Then I tried to process things through the corporate, you know, the 800 numbers. Every time I called, they rerouted my call back to the office that originally ignored me in the first place.

So at this point, I have turned in the paperwork twice, faxed it once and made 15 or so calls, drove out about 15 miles 3 times and no one has done anything with my request. Finally, I got a letter back saying I don't qualify for all types of programs because I'm trying to save my home and I'm putting in for anything they have to offer. Keep in mind, these are programs they have and are suggesting. I did manage to get through a few times and got my point across that I would have to leave the house because I could no longer afford it. I signed up for every program they had. Once, they actually called and said "you really got to sign up for this program, can't see any reason for you not to get this one". Flop. Nothing. Another letter. I ended up trying to sell it. I tried to rent it, nothing. I ended up leaving it in excellent condition. No refinance, no long term hardship, no lower interest rates, no nothing.

So guess what? I lost my home to a short sell/foreclosure. After begging them to lower the payments, telling them my husband's work was less, my son had gotten sick, They didn't care. What happened to the programs they said they would back up? Who does this ? Why are they allowed to do this to people? I did everything I was supposed to do and then some. We had to leave the house and we eventually filed for bankruptcy. This was a huge mess and no company should be allowed to do this to people. Oh yeah, can't imagine what figures were put on the underwriter's paperwork for this loan to get approved to include all credit cards. You see, this was never the original deal. We were only approved for the home itself. Go figure.

If you get a letter from HFC telling you that you qualify for a modification, it's a lie. They only send that letter to get you to call them.

Despite her counsel, I continue to comply with all the requests for duplicate information. It appears that there is no communication within the company. I have been told that the request is "in process" for over 14 weeks. I am being dunned for late mortgage payments even though I started this process over 3 months ago in the hope of avoiding late payments. I feel like I am being "stonewalled" in my attempts to learn the status of my loan modification request. My last letter from HFC dated December 6 indicated that if the missing information was not received by December 21, my application for loan modification would be cancelled.

But I was told he really couldn't do much, because somehow, I'd managed to be transferred to the wrong department. Nonetheless, he listened and transferred me to another customer service rep who was not so helpful. She told me that my debt had been sold to a collection agency, gave me the wrong number for the collection agency, and curtly hung up.

Altogether, this entire ordeal lasted almost 2 hours and resulted in no answers. The unprofessionalism, curt responses and obvious disbelief of my situation, mixed messaging, and general disinterest in providing any sort of customer service was incredible.

I went through two customer service reps, and then I asked to speak to a supervisor. The Supervisors name I spoke with was Emmanuel. He gave me three different stories. The first was my bank has not forwarded the money to pay for the bill (my bank did forward the money on December 24, 2010). The second was, I had not established a history with HSBC. The third was they had received my payment, but it is up to the discretion of HSBC as to whether they will credit my account back to the $300 limit, and that it would take 14 days. 14 days!

First, I have had the card for less than a month. I paid the annual fee of $74.00, to which they received more money from me, than the worth of the card. HSBC would not give me a definitive answer, as to why they hold a consumer's payment for 14 days. I told him the card is useless for anyone, especially at a $300 limit. My conclusion, a consumer uses the card, spends $300, makes a payment, and then has to wait two weeks before they can use it again. I want my $74.00 annual fee back from HSBC.

They are scamming consumers into signing an agreement with them, but not stating anywhere about a $74.00 annual fee, or that when a consumer makes a payment it will take 14 days to process. I told Emmanuel to cancel the card, as it is useless, and that I will be writing to you, the BBB, and the congress to inform as many consumers as possible, that HSBC is a scam. I am asking for your assistance to look into this credit card company for me.

I have been trying to work with HFC over the past several years to get my mortgage to where I can work with it (I have 3 jobs as it is). When I call, I constantly receive different reports on my account, told different stories about what is going on, told different excuses, and told to do different things to work on my account. Apparently they are not part of the government bail out program.

I have tried many other places for help, and I either do not get a response back, or I do not get much help. I tried CCCS/Money Management and they didn't help much (didn't do anything more that I was doing). Needless to say, this has caused great stress on me. As a result of my ex husband and this company, I have been diagnosed with mental depression and I suffer from mental and emotional abuse from my ex. I am not able to go forward with my life as I never know what HFC will do with my account. They call me about 3 to 4 times a day and never want to look at any notations on my account and/or ignore them.

We found out when we got the mortgage payment. They took $200 off the $1775 so now it is $1555. (Big deal.) HHF did not have the guts to call or write first to see if we would accept their deal. If they would’ve called or wrote, I would’ve told them no. That is still a lot to pay on a fixed income. I am not working. I was in the hospital on December 2008. I had a mild heart attack and a stroke while I was still in the hospital. Then in 2009, I lost a sister in January, in February, my daughter-in-law, a brother in May, and my son in September, both my son and his wife are deceased. We are now helping take care of our grandchildren.

I have been seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist due to all that has happened in 2009, losing my son and his wife and the others, and worrying about bills. I have been diagnosed with chronic depression and more. So I talked to HFC again and told them about this hardship we’re having now. They said they did it once and could not do it again. Everyone I talked to at HFC told me to put the house up for sale, or they would do a short sell for us. Really, I don't know what they consider a hardship. We do not want to lose our house, where would our grandchildren live. They don't care if you have to live on the streets. I think HHF should be investigated. Anyone reading this, please do not go to Household Finance for any thing, please! And if it does come to the point HHF not wanting to help us, I will leave the house set before I would sell it. Let them lose. We have worked all our lives, paid our bills on time, but it seems when you do need help, you’re invisible.

Well, you know when it involves money you worry. There is tension on everyone, not sleeping, depression, taking it out on everyone else (not fair), and nowhere to turn. We are not making enough money to pay that kind of payment. like they say you take from Peter to pay Paul.) If you get this message more than once, I am sorry. I thought I deleted the other 2. I want this one posted please! Thanks!

So they went on and did it anyhow, did the modification with out telling us, no calls or even asked us for our decision, not even telling us what the payment would be. We found out when we got the mortgage payment. They took $200 off the $1775. Now it is $1555. Big deal. HFC did not have the guts to call or write first, to see if we would accept their deal. If they had called or wrote, I would have told them no, that is still a lot to pay on a fixed income.

I was in the hospital Dec. 2008 I had a mild heart attack and a stroke while I was still in the hospital. Then in 2009, I lost a sister in Jan. Feb., my daughter in-law, a brother in May and my son in Sept. Both my son and his wife are deceased. We are now helping take care of our grand children. I have been seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist due to all that has happened in 2009, losing my son and his wife and the others, and worrying about bills. I have been diagnosed with chronic depression and more.

So I talked to HFC again and told them about this hardship we're having now. They said they did it once and could not do it again. Everyone I talked to at HFC told me to put the house up for sale or they would do a short sell for us. Really, I don't know what they consider a hard ship. We do not want to lose our house. Where would my grand children live? They don't care if you have to live on the streets. I think HFC should be investigated. Anyone reading, this please do not go to Household Finance for any thing please! And if it does come to the point them not wanting to helping us, I will leave the house set before I would sell it. Let them lose. We have worked all our life, paid our bills on time but it seems when you do need help, you're invisible.

So we got our payment and opened it, and it was $1,555. We did not pay that payment. We paid the $1,775. We did not get a call or anything, asking if we agreed to this modification. Only the payment which showed. They did a modification and we still were both working. That is why we ask them not to look into it until after husband retired. Then we had to start paying the $1,555 again without taxes and insurance.

On Dec. 2008, I was in the hospital. I had a mild heart attack and a mild stroke. I had open heart surgery in 1996. So I no longer work due to several illnesses. So I wrote to Household Finance and ask them why they did the modification then. When we ask HHF to wait, my husband's retirement pay is $2900. A month take $1,555 from that and there's not much left.

So they ask me for a hardship letter so sent one plus other papers they wanted. It came back denied! Then in 2010 Jan., I lost a sister. On Feb. my daughter in-law, May a brother, my son in Sept. and 4 more after that. My son and his wife are now both deceased, we are helping to raise my grand children. Then I started seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist. I was diagnosed with deep depression bypolar and OCD. I have been depressed most of my life, it is now progressed, due to my son and his wife's deaths. And I can not work.

So again I ask HHF to help us again or we are going to lose our house. All I heard from any one that I talked to at HHF is sell it or we can do a short sell. I told them I have my grand children to raise. They don't care if you have to live on the streets. They told me we modified it once we can not do it again. I don't know what they think a hardship is. I tried to explain to them the letter asking them not to do anything again till my husband retired. They knew what they were doing to us at that time.

I am so tired of worrying, we can not even pay for all the pills we both have to take. I take 10 and that adds up, so cut down on some of the one I have to take 3 times a day. I just don't know where to turn anymore. I think Household Finance should be investigated. We have worked hard all our life, paid bills on time, now when you need help, your invisible. Please if you read this, do not go to Household Finance for help, I have struggled with them, and no response.

It caused a late fee and my account to go over the limit affecting my credit rating and it hindered my credit score possibly causing an overall effect to my ability to attain proper credit.