The Lien Release/Discharge Nightmares
Clearing title problems one step at a time and delivering clear title
Hi guys,
I don’t work for any of these banks! I might be able to direct you to an email or a phone # or a particular bank to contact, but I can’t solve your title issues for you especially if you’re not in Massachusetts! The work you guys are asking me to do is not something people do for free.
Capital One got out of the mortgage business last year. I recently worked on an issue where the original lender was actually ING Bank. ING was acquired by Capital One. I sent the usual request to the email I had for Capital One hlslienrelease@capitalone.com. I got suspicious because I had contacted them not long ago about another issue and never had a response. I never followed up because I got what I needed elsewhere. For other banks when you email they have an automatic form reply. Not the case here. It had been awhile since I had contacted Capital One, but I thought I remembered they did have an auto reply like all the other banks.
I tried calling the customer service phone #, but there was no option through the auto attendant for “mortgages”. I wasn’t in the mood to go through all the hoops to talk to someone. I took to Twitter!
@AskCapitalOne tweeted me back:
Hi, for lien release requests please write to us at Capital One, N.A. PO Box 21887, Eagan, MN 55121. Plz include ur full name, loan number, complete copy of recorded Mortgage/Deed of Trust (required), all recorded assignments, proof of payoff & prepared lien release template.
So I did that. Unreal they now require you to send the request via snail mail!
I also contacted the FDIC to ask who is responsible for discharging now that Capital One is out of the mortgage business. They emailed back a couple of days later and said that the Comptroller of the Currency is directly supervising. So I also faxed a request to the Comptroller of the Currency for their assistance with the discharge.
I mailed the request to Capital One 2/1. 2/6 I faxed a request to the Comptroller of the Currency. 2/13 I received a discharge via FEDEX from C. Nuerge / Capital One, N.A. 7933 Preston Rd., Plano, TX 75024 Phone 972-461-5038.
Not bad!
MERS is a beautiful thing. Especially when it comes to fixing title problems and tracking down discharges. They aren’t especially quick, but they do always come through.
Today I emailed docrequest@mersinc.org
My issue is two mortgages that were assigned to MIT Lending and discharged by MERS. Since MIT Lending no longer exists and MERS claimed responsibility via their improper discharge I thought I would start there.
In researching what happened to MIT Lending I discovered that it changed names to MortgageIt and was acquired by Deutsche Bank in 2006. I don’t have any contacts at Deutsche Bank! I usually like to attack issues like this from every angle possible, but I think we can safely leave this in the hands of MERS.
Update: MERS wrote back and asked we sent in 2 separate requests since it’s 2 mortgages. UGH. Easy enough but annoying. Also they want a MIN #. Well funny since it was never properly assigned to MERS there is no MIN# anywhere to be found. This should be interesting.
2/14/2019 – MERS never got back to me on this request. I never followed up because we ended up hiring a title clearing service on this one.
Today I requested a Certificate of Redemption from the City of Boston for a Tax Taking that was paid off in 2017.
I faxed my request to Ariel 617-635-4702
I need a discharge/lien release from Ameriquest. I requested it from Ocwen and Chase. Both said not theirs.
Attempted to prepare a Form 62B to inform Ameriquest we are going to discharge the lien by attorney affidavit. Sent via certified mail to the last known address for them obtained from MA Secretary of State’s website. It was returned!
Title insurance company suggested we send the Demand to Ocwen. Stay tuned. Please comment below if you have any suggestions on how to get a lien release from Ameriquest.
8/20/2018 emailed a request to HSBC for a mortgage paid off 11/23/2010
lienrelease@mortgagefamily.com
The mortgage was originally to HSBC Mortgage Corporation (USA), paid off to Bank of America and discharge/released by MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.). Since the discharge was not from HSBC Mortgage Corporation (USA) it is a bad discharge. The lien must be released by the current holder.
On 8/24/2018 I received an email from HSBC stating that the request had been received and was in process with an approximate 20 day turnaround time.
Today 9/25/2018 I called their “Reconveyance Dept” 800-449-8767 x 16525 but was unable to get through without a recognizable “Loan Number”. I had to be routed to the department through Customer Service after being on hold and asked a number of questions including the loan number, social security #, property address, borrower name, etc. Quite the ordeal to be connected.
Once connected I was told that sometimes these things take 30 days (uhm really? Request was made on 8/20. More than 30 days had already passed). They told me to check back at the end of the week.
On 9/5 I faxed request to TD Bank for a discharge that was paid off via wire transfer on 4/6/2016. Trying to avoid the phone and annoying customer service representatives I faxed the request to the Fax# on the payoff statement. I’ll admit this is probably not the most effective way to work this problem. I received no response and no discharge was recorded yet.
9/21 I called TD Bank and was on the phone for at least a half hour with a customer service representative to request the lien release/discharge (see why I prefer fax or email). I was told it would take 3-5 days. No confirmation #, no case # nothing. I was told to call back and ask for the RO line.
800-641-6572
This one was a Home Equity Line of credit. While I believe the line was frozen, it remains undischarged because of a failure to provide borrower signature to close and terminate the HELOC.
Today 9/25/2018 I refaxed my request from 9/5 marked “Second Request” with the squeaky wheel theory maybe someone will pick it up and take care of it.
9/27/2018 – called to follow up. entered account # & ssn# through automated system before being routed to a customer service rep. Customer service rep. asks for account #, address, etc. and puts me on hold to make a phone call. She comes back after several minutes and gives me a fax # to fax a 3rd request. She gave me fax #856-553-1139 which doesn’t go through. “Sorry your call does not go through. Try your call again”. Back on hold waiting for yet another CSR. This CSR is much more informative. She said in 2016 TD Bank mailed the discharges to the homeowners. She gives me a fax # for lien release 207-755-6550. Faxed a copy of the title search, payoff statement with signature authorizing termination of the account, and the ALTA statement.
Faxed request for a zero balance letter to TD Bank at the request of interested party.
9/28/2018 Called TD Bank to check on status of discharge. No record of prior requests?! CSR sent it through to the back office as an escalation. System has purged the information from their system. Will have to be researched in the back office.
For good measure also refaxed request to the lien release dept.
9/28/2018
Received a call from Katie in lien release. She will fax and overnight discharge for me for delivery on Monday 10/1! Fax received
10/1/2018 – discharge received and electronically recorded.
Start date: 9/4.
Finish Date: 10/1
9/25/2018
I just requested a lien release from Ocwen. I don’t anticipate this to go well because it was paid off in 2003 to a different lender – CNI National Mortgage Co (no longer exists) The mortgage originated in 1996. Ocwen doesn’t like to take responsibility for mortgages that were paid off before they acquired them.
When submitting a request for a lien release be sure to have the following documentation to speed things up:
I had all this information and more. I even had a cancelled check for this one which I don’t always have.
Payoffassist.com says Ocwen is the responsible party.
I emailed my request to cbsglienrelease@ocwen.com
Let’s see how this goes!
The Lien Release/Discharge Nightmares 