Fighting back
How do I file a CFPB complaint against my mortgage company?
The short answer: it's free, it takes about 15 minutes, and servicers take it seriously because the CFPB tracks their responses. File at consumerfinance.gov with a clear timeline and your documents attached. And send the servicer a written notice of error at the same time — federal rules require them to investigate and respond, generally within about 30 business days.
Before the CFPB: the notice of error
This is your most underused weapon. Under federal mortgage servicing rules, you can send your servicer a written notice identifying an error — a misapplied payment, a wrong escrow calculation, a force-placed insurance charge on a covered property. Once received, the servicer must investigate and respond in writing, generally within about 30 business days (they can extend briefly if they tell you why).
Keep it simple: "On [date], [what happened]. This is an error because [reason]. Please investigate and correct it." Send it to the servicer's designated error-resolution address — check your statement or their website; sending it to the payment address can delay things.
The CFPB complaint, step by step
- Go to consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Select mortgage, then your servicer.
- Write a tight timeline. Dates, amounts, names of representatives, what you were told. Attach your documents: statements, letters, proof of payments, your notice of error.
- State what you want. "Correct the escrow analysis," "refund the force-placed premiums," "apply the suspense balance" — a specific ask gets a specific answer.
- Track it. The CFPB forwards the complaint to the company, which must respond through the system. You'll see the response and can dispute it if it's inadequate.
Why it works
Servicers assign CFPB complaints to specialized resolution teams — not the front-line call center. The complaint also becomes part of the public CFPB database (your personal details removed), which is exactly why companies staff these teams well: regulators and journalists read that database.
Mortgage rules vary by loan type, servicer, and state. Check your own loan documents and official federal resources, or talk to a licensed professional, before acting.