Richardson v. PNC Mortgage (In re Richardson)

538 B.R. 594
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedSeptember 18, 2015
DocketCase No. 13-80166-WRS; Adv. Pro. No. 15-8008-WRS
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 538 B.R. 594 (Richardson v. PNC Mortgage (In re Richardson)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Richardson v. PNC Mortgage (In re Richardson), 538 B.R. 594 (Ala. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

William R. Sawyer, United States Bankruptcy Judge

This adversary proceeding is before the Court on Defendant PNC Mortgage, N.A.’s motion to dismiss the amended complaint filed by Plaintiffs Mathis and Lillian Richardson. (Doc. 23). The Plaintiffs object to the Defendant’s claim in their underlying bankruptcy, and have asserted claims for breach of contract, fraud, and violations of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. For the reasons set forth below, the Plaintiffs objection to the Defendant’s claim is OVERRULED. The Defendant’s motion to dismiss is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

I. FACTS & PROCEDURAL HISTORY

A. The Note

On April 7, 2000, Plaintiffs Mathis and Lillian Richardson (“the Richardsons”) obtained a $46,000 loan from Alabama Exchange Bank in return for a promissory note and mortgage on their home (collectively “the Note”). The Note called for a monthly payment of $440 for five years, amortized on a twenty year schedule at 9.75%. At the end of sixty months, the Note called for a balloon payment of the remaining mortgage balance.

On May 9, 2005, the Richardsons and Alabama Exchange Bank renewed the Note in the amount of $41,700.20, with the same monthly payments ($440) but with a lower interest rate of 7% amortized over the remaining fifteen years on the Note.1 [598]*598Alabama Exchange Bank waived the May-2005 balloon payment and scheduled another balloon payment for May 2010.

Starting in August 2005, the Richard-sons began paying $620 per month on the Note.2 This meant that they were now paying roughly $245 extra per month toward the Note’s principal. Supra note 1. Some time after August 2005, Alabama Exchange Bank assigned the Note to RBC Bank (“RBC”).

B. The Inconsistent Statements

On July 6, 2009, RBC mailed the Rich-ardsons a statement that the principal balance on the Note was $24,931.51. On October 5, 2009, RBC mailed the Richardsons another statement that the principal balance on the Note was 19,396.94. On October 18, 2009, RBC mailed the Richardsons a statement that the principal balance on the Note was $18,380.53. However, on November 4, 2009, RBC informed the Richardsons that the Note’s principal balance was $22,596.14. According to the amended complaint, the Richardsons had been timely and consistently paying $620 per month on the Note up to this point.

On March 1, 2010, Robert Davis (“Davis”), an employee of RBC, told the Richardsons not to make any more payments until the amount of principal remaining on the Note could be determined. On March 30, 2010, RBC mailed a letter to the Richardsons stating that the principal balance on the Note was $20,376.14. RBC’s letter stated that it would take the Richardsons three years to pay the Note off at the rate of $620 per month. The letter made no mention of the May 2010 balloon payment.

On April 5, 2010, Davis again told the Richardsons not to send any more payments until RBC could review their payment history again. On June 25, 2010, Davis told the Richardsons that based on his March 30 letter, the Richardsons would pay the Note off in three years, and told them to resume paying $620 per month on the Note. On July 1, 2010, the Richardsons received a letter from RBC informing them that the Note had matured in May 2010. They called Davis about the letter, and he told them to disregard the letter and continue making their monthly payments. They received a separate letter from RBC the same day notifying them that their June 2010 payment of $440 was due.

C. The Change in Terms Agreement

The Richardsons resumed payments of $620 per month. On November 3, 2010, RBC mailed the Richardsons a letter and a document modifying the Note that was entitled “Change in Terms Agreement” (“CTA”). The CTA indicated that the principal balance on the Note was $19,794.62, and proposed to lower the interest rate to 6.25% amortized over three years. According to the letter accompanying the CTA, it called for required monthly payments of $604.63 and would be paid off at that rate in three years. The CTA’s maturation date was October 2013. Davis signed the November 3, 2010 letter. The CTA was typed by RBC and lists RBC as the lender. There are signature lines on the CTA for the Richardsons, but not for RBC. The Richardsons did not sign or return the CTA, but allege they “accepted [599]*599this offer by performance.” (Doc. 22, ¶ 27).

The same day they received the CTA, the Richardsons received a letter from RBC stating that the amount due on the Note as of November 1, 2010 was $440. The Richardsons contacted Davis, who instructed them that the $620 payment they had made on November 2 would suffice. They also raised concerns about the accuracy of the principal balance stated in the CTA, and Davis said he would look into it. The Richardsons paid $604.63 on December 2, 2010, and five days later RBC sent them a statement that the principal balance on the Note was $18,825.16.

RBC mailed the Richardsons a monthly statement on December 30, 2010 indicating that $440 was due. The Richardsons paid $440 on January 4, 2011 and again on January 28, 2011. On February 3, 2011, Davis told them to resume making payments of $620, and the Richardsons did so. On August 18, 2011, RBC told them that the Note’s principal balance was $14,677.84.

D.The New Mortgagee

Sometime prior to March 2012, RBC assigned the Note to PNC Mortgage, N.A. (“PNC”). On March 5, 2012, PNC sent a monthly statement to the Richardsons stating that the amount due that month was $440 and that the principal balance on the Note was $11,079.83. The Richard-sons paid $620 on March 25, 2012, and PNC accepted the payment. The Richard-sons paid another $620 on April 29, 2012.

On May 1, 2012, PNC returned the April payment of $620 to the Richardsons along with a letter explaining that the money was being returned because the Note had reached its May 2010 maturity date. The Richardsons continued making $620 monthly payments to PNC. On June 12, 2012, PNC returned $1,240 to the Richard-sons and again cited the Note’s May 2010 maturity date. One day later, PNC mailed the Richardsons a letter stating that the Note was past due in the amount of $1,320.

On June 15, 2012, PNC notified the Richardsons that the Note had been referred to counsel for foreclosure. The Richardsons continued to pay $620 per month, and on October 24, 2012, PNC returned $1,240 to them. On October 30, 2012, PNC sent the Richardsons a “Notice of Acceleration of Promissory Note and Mortgage,” and indicated that the principal balance on the Note was $12,466.93. The foreclosure sale was scheduled for February 8, 2013.

E.The Bankruptcy

Unable to come to terms with PNC, the Richardsons filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy on February 6, 2013. (Case No. 13-80166). On their Schedule D and in their various Chapter 13 plans, the Richardsons listed the amount owed to PNC as $12,253.40. (Case No. 13-80166, Docs. 17, 20, 22, 28, 31, 37). PNC filed a proof of claim on August 27, 2013 for $15,181.91, all of which was secured; the claim stated that $8,930.52 was for arrearage. (Case No. 13-80166, Claim 12). The Richard-sons did not object and amended their plan again on October 8, 2013, listing their debt to PNC as $15,181.91. (Case No. 13-80166, Doc. 44). The Court confirmed the October 8 plan on October 20, 2013. (Case No. 13-80166, Doc.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
538 B.R. 594, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/richardson-v-pnc-mortgage-in-re-richardson-almb-2015.