Lien on our house for an unknown debt.

[Jaya]

Oh, years ago while getting some credit I found out that I was deceased. I was feeling pretty good up until then. But even as a corpse, I was paying my bills and holding down a job like a live person. Let me tell you, it's not easy trying to convince the powers-that-be that's you're still alive. Turns out that they had me deceased instead of my late husband. One person asked me if I had both death certificates....<sigh>.

 

[Angeejoe]

We are renewing our Home Equity Loan (we only have a few thousand remaining on it). The title search came back, to show that a debt collection agency put a $14,000 lien on our home, based on some debt of my husband's.
I have no idea how that happened. We had a couple of minor bills that we paid. DH's credit score is in the 700's. Wouldn't we have to be informed by certified mail that a large lien would be issued?
DH has a fairly common name. The loan officer seems to think that the debt might belong to another person with a similar name. He is doing more research, but won't get back to us until Monday.
DH and I are both worried. Even if the debt isn't DH's how can we reverse the lien?
And of course, this happens on a Friday. Anybody have any other ideas?

What happened?

 

[LadyBeBop]

What happened?

Sorry for the lack of response. We're still waiting.

Lien officer who had to order the actual documents was on vacation. (Of course). He got back Wednesday. He ordered the lien. Said it takes two to three business days to get it. Of course. its taking three. Hoping for an update tomorrow bb

 

[Angeejoe]

Sorry for the lack of response. We're still waiting.

Lien officer who had to order the actual documents was on vacation. (Of course). He got back Wednesday. He ordered the lien. Said it takes two to three business days to get it. Of course. its taking three. Hoping for an update tomorrow bb

Sending you that it's all fixed tomorrow!

 

[AnnaS]

Watching - curious what it is. Good luck!

 

[kymom99]

What a pain that the burden is on you to prove someone else made a mistake!

 

[tvguy]

Oh, years ago while getting some credit I found out that I was deceased. I was feeling pretty good up until then. But even as a corpse, I was paying my bills and holding down a job like a live person. Let me tell you, it's not easy trying to convince the powers-that-be that's you're still alive. Turns out that they had me deceased instead of my late husband. One person asked me if I had both death certificates....<sigh>.

Yeah, about 10 years ago P-G & E discovered my mom's account was still in my dad's name and demanded a deposit and wanted to do a credit check. He passed away 38 years before, and they only had the account for 17 years before that. After a bump up to a supervisor, and my mom pointing out, in her words, she had been "paying a dead man's bill for 38 years"...they decided that 38 years of on time payments showed that no deposit or credit check was necessary.

 

[kymom99]

Yeah, about 10 years ago P-G & E discovered my mom's account was still in my dad's name and demanded a deposit and wanted to do a credit check. He passed away 38 years before, and they only had the account for 17 years before that. After a bump up to a supervisor, and my mom pointing out, in her words, she had been "paying a dead man's bill for 38 years"...they decided that 38 years of on time payments showed that no deposit or credit check was necessary.

We had a similar thing happen to my mom but it was only for a couple years. They wanted to change out her gas meter and I called to schedule it. When I mentioned it was for my mom but the account was in my deceased father's name, the girl said, "That is illegal!" My BIL said I should have started crying. They definitely need some training in customer relations. Then they wanted a deposit and credit check to change it over to my mom's name, even though she and my dad had made payments on time for 55 years. My brother went back and forth with them until they agreed to waive the deposit.

 

[mousehockey37]

Sadly, it's not the people on the other end of the phone. It's the people that write the scripts and such and the higher ups that make the frontline CSR's read those scripts and give responses that things are "illegal" and such.

As we've seen with the guys in the Comcast retention department (the infamous 15:00 video of the CEO of a company trying to cancel service), they have "standard" scripts and responses which must be read based on answers given. Does that mean that some of these people, knowing the hate the job they go to everyday, aren't completely rude? Nope, they are and can be, it's just a matter of that "recorded" call actually being monitored or recorded.

Business today isn't what it was 10+ years ago. There was a time when the customer was the focal point, not the customer's money. A lot of big businesses have changed that ethical approach and it's all $$$ and forget the product the customer gets.

In the case of the OP, it's sad how easy 1 skip trace on a persons name can land you in such a hot mess. It's like... let's find John Smith... well, that's a pretty freakin' common name... you could go through probably 100,000 John Smith's and still never find the one you're looking for...

 

[tvguy]

Sadly, it's not the people on the other end of the phone. It's the people that write the scripts and such and the higher ups that make the frontline CSR's read those scripts and give responses that things are "illegal" and such.

...

Exactly. I had that issue with my electric service. I had been paying for check for 30 years, but their website would not let me setup online electronic payment, told me I had to call. I call and they say my account is illegal because there is no social security number on it. Lady that helped me said....."that's stupid" and escalated me to a supervisor who could approve online payment without a social security number. Her only comment..."the programming of our computer systems sometimes have a tough time accepting what really happens in the world".

 

[mousehockey37]

Exactly. I had that issue with my electric service. I had been paying for check for 30 years, but their website would not let me setup online electronic payment, told me I had to call. I call and they say my account is illegal because there is no social security number on it. Lady that helped me said....."that's stupid" and escalated me to a supervisor who could approve online payment without a social security number. Her only comment..."the programming of our computer systems sometimes have a tough time accepting what really happens in the world".

It's rare that you get a real, down to earth person sometimes... That is, if you can get through the maze of press 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 this...

 

[dsanner106]

We had a similar thing happen to my mom but it was only for a couple years. They wanted to change out her gas meter and I called to schedule it. When I mentioned it was for my mom but the account was in my deceased father's name, the girl said, "That is illegal!" My BIL said I should have started crying. They definitely need some training in customer relations. Then they wanted a deposit and credit check to change it over to my mom's name, even though she and my dad had made payments on time for 55 years. My brother went back and forth with them until they agreed to waive the deposit.

I had something very similar happen, I just said "well Dad is the one who set up these accounts and you have his signature, so I guess he is the one you are after. If you want to dig him up and charge him, I will understand. In the mean time, is sounds like you are saying you have been getting money from mom that she never owed you for on gas, which is illegal, so if you want to cut her a refund check on that, then we can open for a new account for her and start fresh......

 

[starry_solo]

Back to the OP, more likely than not, it is someone who has a similar name as your husband.

In CA, we have what is called a grantor-grantee index of recorded documents. The Recorder's Office takes a recorded judgment (or lien), identifies the creditor and puts the information into their database. It will automatically put it the property of on every person who has a similar name. It doesn't have to be "removed" from your records/home since it isn't yours. It just shows up in a title search and the bank will verify it's not yours (as will the title company)

 

[njmom47]

I remember when dh and I bought our home...the papers he had to sign off indicating the debts were not his. He has a common name that could be one of multiple races. One debt was over 2 million! No way that was his! Scary all the same.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Just got the good news from the credit union. It's not my husband's debt.
The loan officer said that it won't be an issue if/when we sell the house. A good title search will cross-reference my husband's and his namesake's social security numbers and prove my husband isn't liable.

 

[Angeejoe]

Just got the good news from the credit union. It's not my husband's debt.
The loan officer said that it won't be an issue if/when we sell the house. A good title search will cross-reference my husband's and his namesake's social security numbers and prove my husband isn't liable.

Great news! You must feel much better!

 

[bcwife76]

Just got the good news from the credit union. It's not my husband's debt.
The loan officer said that it won't be an issue if/when we sell the house. A good title search will cross-reference my husband's and his namesake's social security numbers and prove my husband isn't liable.

That is really great news, you must feel very relieved!

 

[AnnaS]

Just got the good news from the credit union. It's not my husband's debt.
The loan officer said that it won't be an issue if/when we sell the house. A good title search will cross-reference my husband's and his namesake's social security numbers and prove my husband isn't liable.

Great news!! Glad it's out of your mind now!! Good luck!