Once, just once, I mailed the payment without a stamp. It set a chain of events in motion that pointed out how ignorant, intolerant and greedy Countrywide is. Had been a Countrywide customer for four or five years, paid regularly, NEVER incurred a late fee, and often paid extra principal. NONE of that meant anything to Countrywide.
They called because the payment was late, but not yet overdue. I was puzzled, since I was sure I mailed it. Or did I misplace it? Or did the Post Office lose it? And how would we prove it? My husband assured them we would look for it, and if it didn’t turn up, we would stop payment and send another check.
When it finally did turn up, returned because of insufficient postage, as proof of the mistake, I took the entire payment, including the envelope stamped with Insufficient Postage, and enclosed it in another envelope along with a letter explaining what happened AND a second check for the late fee, since it was now overdue. I was VERY apologetic and took full responsibility for the error, adding that the late fee was enclosed as a show of good faith, and thought all was taken care of.
For month #2, we did not receive the monthly coupon but I sent the payment in anyway, and on time. I made sure there was a stamp! Before mid-month, we got another call that our payment was late! We assured them payment had been sent but by now we were VERY confused.
Then the next coupon for month #3 arrived and it billed us for the regular upcoming payment plus TWO months past due payments plus late fees for both months! It threatened legal action! About the same time, we received a letter from Countrywide with our uncashed checks for the previous two months enclosed. What was going on? Oddly enough, the extra check for the late fee for month #1 was not included and had been cashed, even though we were still assessed that first month’s late fee in the bill along with a late fee for month #2. What a mess!
My husband called Countrywide to ask what this was all about. It seems that when he said we would stop payment if we couldn’t find the check, all that Countryside heard was that we were stopping payment. So, when they received the original check, they thought payment had been stopped and returned it. Why they returned payment for month #2 is beyond me, BUT, by returning it, they were able to charge us a second late fee!
It took almost four months to iron out all the kinks, including convincing them that we had already paid the late fee for month #1, and shouldn’t have to pay the late fee for month #2 since we sent it in on time and Countrywide erred by returning it to us.
Since then, every interaction with Countrywide has been a complete mess. Next time, I will take the advice of my family and friends and use LendingTree instead.