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Business Profile

Title Agent

Stewart Title of California

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 1 complaint in the last 3 years.
  • 0 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/06/2022

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I received a letter from my mortgage company indicating that my mortgage was increasing in the amount of $616.16, I couldn’t understand why that was. After reviewing my documents I realized there may’ve been a mistake in my escrow and title paper work. To gather more information and to have a better understanding I contacted the ventura office, and spoke to representative “Dee.” She was extremely rude, was yelling at me the entire time, she told me wether it was their fault or someone else’s fault there’s noting to do now. Told me she would have manager "Julie Arrington” of the Glendale location contact me, didn’t let me get a word out instead hung up on me. I then contacted her 30min-1hr later, in hope of some answers to my questions, I have no background in this, I was simply trying to get a better understanding as this whole situation is beyond stressful and frustrating. During my second call, she continued yelling, making rude comments and then it sounded like she dropped the phone, she continued to speak badly about me to her co workers while I was on the line, she then realized the phone was not hung up, and hung the phone up. I have tried to get in contact with management I have called over 20 times, left a message, wrote an email with no response. I have had my mortgage company, and lender look at my paper work and there is indeed a mistake made by this office. The way in which I was treated is inappropriate, inconsiderate and degrading. I have never been treated this way or spoke to in that matter. The mistake has created so much stress, frustration and concern.

    Business Response

    Date: 10/13/2022

    Please accept this letter as Stewart Title of California, Inc.'s (STCA) timely response to the October 6, 2022 complaint received through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) portal. Respectfully, STCA denies any wrongdoing or the alleged inappropriate behaviors, vehemently denies that STCA did anything incorrect or made any mistakes with regard to the closing and the closing figures and denies the consumer's request for reimbursement of fees paid to STCA and for any money now due from the consumer for taxes.

    As was conveyed to the consumer through an email on October 4, 2022, the discrepancy or any additional monies owed to the lender (whether a one-time fee or monthly) was a result of the figures used, created and prepared -by the lender. STCA, as the escrow holder, is obligated to follow the lender's instructions and is only able to "charge" fees based upon that lender's instructions - which it did.

    In revisiting this matter to prepare this response, STCA looked in its title product that was provided to all parties, the preliminary report, and it showed that the taxes paid by the then-owner were approximately $10,000 per year. Also, STCA noticed that the purchase price of the property by the consumer was only $582,000 and that the lender, in its lender's instructions, estimated and calculated the property taxes as 1.25% of the sales price, which is custom and practice and typically an accurate estimate of the property taxes to be paid. Here, the sales price appears Significantly lower than the county's assessed value of the home. The actual property taxes are assessed by the county-tax collector regardless of what figures are used or estimated by-the lender.

    Thus, it appears that the lender did not consider the lower sales price and the tax information in the preliminary report when it estimated the taxes for the lender's impound account. Accordingly, any money owed by the consumer to the lender is for the payment of the actual taxes that are due and/or will be owing with regard to this property. STCA understands the concerns and frustration of the consumer and is
    disheartened that this is the consumer's experience in homeownership. The property taxes are assessed by the county tax collector and are based upon the assessed value and improvements of the home which is typically reflected in the sales price. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case here.

    For all the reasons described above, Stewart Title of California, Inc. expresses its sincerest concerns for the consumers position, respectfully denies that STCA made any errors and denies the consumer's request for any payment or reimbursement of any fees.
    Sincerely,
    STEWART TITLE OF CALIFORNIA, INC.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 10/25/2022





    I am rejecting this response because:

    I disagree with your response. I do feel It was your job to verify information. If the insurance coverage on the house would have been in accurate would have informed our lender we needed a different coverage amount? You would inform them right.. The taxes on our paper work were listed correctly 10,290,  the picture below shows it in yellow however the break down was done incorrectly the picture below shows it in red and because of the break down we have come to this shortage, that now will be increasing the amount of my mortgage per month. My question is what information was used to get that breakdown in red?In you’re response to me you did not touch basis on the customer service received by Dee at your office. Does this mean that the  behavior, tone and disrespect is tolerated at Stewart title? Do you guys allow for customers to be treated so rudely and in appropriate! Do you at Stewart title Allow your customer service reps to yell at your customers or speak badly about them to other co workers while on the phone with them or in person? I was not the only person to witness this behavior and disrespect, my broker was on a 3 way call and witnessed it all. She was also in complete disbelief that a business would be treating others in that way. The service received by you office was the worst experience by far. I do believe a refund for your services ( 3,740.50)as well as the shortage(4,377.93)should be fully refunded to me. This was my first time buying a home, Stewart title was trusted and failed us.  I would greatly appreciate my refund.





    Regards,



    J****** ******


























































    Business Response

    Date: 10/28/2022

    Please accept this letter as Stewart Title of California, Inc.'s (STCA) timely follow-up response to the October 25, 2022 letter received through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) portal. Respectfully, STCA apologizes for the poor customer service you experienced but continues to deny any wrongdoing as related to the taxes. As a neutral third-party escrow company, STCA is obligated to follow, without question, the lender's instructions. Accordingly, STCA still denies the consumer's request for reimbursement of fees paid to STCA and for any money now due from the consumer for taxes - whether to increase her monthly payment or to
    increase her lender's impound account for future taxes.

    In the consumer's most recent response, she acknowledges that "the taxes on our paper work were listed correctly $10,290." Although STCA is unclear what "paper work" she is referring to, STCA's Preliminary Report that is provided to the lender also correctly identified the amount of taxes that should have been used to calculate the taxes for the consumers monthly payment and for her impound account. STCA would have no way of knowing why the lender used a different amount - perhaps the consumer advised the lender of a lower tax base?? Further, the consumer references breakdowns and shortages highlighted in yellow and red;
    however, nothing was attached. Regardless, the consumer acknowledges that the taxes were more than $10,000 per year; as such, the consumer should have expected the payment for taxes included in her monthly payment to be based upon the $10,000+ per year which is more than what was listed on the lender's paperwork for closing.

    Although the consumer has not provided the BBB or STCA any written details or materials related to the breakdown of what is now owed, how the lender calculated this amount and how much of the amount owed is for the lender's impound account for future taxes. My best guess is that most of what is owed today is for future taxes that will be due and a readjustment in the monthly payment to properly reflect taxes exceeding $10,000 rather than whatever the lender based that number upon.

    Unfortunately, most consumers do not understand the limited functions of the escrow agent. STCA, the escrow agent, receives contracts and agreements among parties, receives and disburses money in accordance with lenders and the parties' instructions and is only able to act upon mutual written instructions from parties. Escrow agent is not able to question parties, negotiate terms or offer guidance or advice regarding the transaction.

    Here, the consumer was provided with a copy of the lender's instructions that specifically said" .... do not change any figures." The lender determines what amount is to be included in its monthly mortgage payment and what amount is to be collected for the impound account for future taxes. The escrow agent has no ability to change this information and has no ability to question the lender's instructions; this is between the consumer and her lender.

    With regard to the consumer's question about insurance coverage (although its unclear what type of insurance coverage the consumer is referring to), no, the escrow agent would not review any insurance policy nor would it provide any guidance or advice regarding same. Consumers deposit documents into escrow and the escrow agent acts as a conduit to provide those documents to the other parties, the real estate agents and the lenders accordingly. The escrow agent does not review these documents for accuracy or sufficiency, that is for the requestor and recipient to determine. This, of course, is not true of the documents created by the escrow agent and provided to the consumer for signature. These are escrow documents and are reviewed upon receipt.

    With regard to the behavior of the STCA associate involved in this transaction, STCA takes customer service matters seriously and appropriate counseling and guidance is provided to its associates. STCA apologizes for the consumer's poor escrow experience; this is obviously not what STCA would want to hear from its consumers. STCA understood that the consumer was - understandably - very confused, concerned and upset when she contacted STCA. When discussed with the STCA associate, her recollection of the interactions differed significantly from the recollection of the consumer. Nonetheless, the STCA associate has been counseled and, in its initial response, STCA thought if more prudent to address and focus on what it believed was the larger concern, the tax increase rather than addressing this other matter.

    Stewart Title of California, Inc. understands the consumer's confusion, anger and concern. This matter, however, remains between the consumer and her lender. Accordingly, STCA again respectfully denies the consumer's request for any payment or reimbursement of any fees.

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