My Conversation With Bank of America Home Loans Today

Them: We received your paperwork.

Me: Great. Has this been settled? Are you sending me a check?

Them: We're researching it right now. Please hold.

Me: Great. 

Them: [five minutes later] Yes, we see that we received your fax.

Me: Right. And?

Them: We're researching it. Hold please.

Me: Sure.

Them: [Five minutes later] Okay, I just talked to my manager? And he says the system is working slowly and that we won't have answer for you right now. Later though.

Me: Later today?

Them: By next Wednesday. The system should have it taken care of by next Wednesday.

Me: Just so we're clear, I sent you copies of my bank statement that shows you overdrafted my account repeatedly. What are you researching?

Them: The system isn't working as fast as we'd like, so we're researching it and will have it resolved shortly. 

Me: So, by next Wednesday?

Them: My manager says it should be less than that. But yes. Next Wednesday.

Me: And how will I know when this has been resolved?

Them: 

Me:

Them: I guess maybe I could call you?

Me: That would be great.

Them: What's your phone number?

Me: You have my entire life in your hands there and you don't have my phone number?

Them: No.

Me: Okay. [I give them my phone number] And when will I hear from you? 

Them: Probably by next Wednesday. If it hasn't been cleared up by next Wednesday, I'll call you.

Me: Okay, here's the thing: don't try to send money to that account you took money from, because I've closed it. Send me a check. 

Them: To where?

Me: My house. That you have the mortgage on.

Them: That's probably what we'll do.

Me: What else would you do?

Them: We'll have this resolved by next Wednesday, Mr. Goldberg.

Me: Or you'll call.

Them: Yes.

And so we wait. And ponder renting. 

Comments

[kare anderson]

Methinks your book will unearth the stories of many others who came up against the brick walls of calls and emails re B. of A. and Countrywide Mortgage (bought by B.of A)... My version was the nine months it took for my "fast-tracked" re-fi that they attempted to side-track it

[JOhn Shannon]

Best of luck. (I've left the B of A TWICE over things like this.) Twice? Yeah, they bought me back (with one future draft choice, I hope) when they acquired the defunct Security Pacific. Who the hell can you trust? I used to try small local banks--Culver City Bank, etc.--but they all get crushed by the giants.