My husband and I filed a chapter 13 about a year ago and recently paid it off 100%. I started reviewing our files after looking at online mortgage monthly statements because I couldn’t completely unstand all the fees and charges. My lawyer requested I pay all her fees upfront which we did.
I asked my lawyer about the mortgage fees and asked her for a detailed explanation. I had to ask her for it because the mortgage company will not send me the information and said to contact my lawyer to request that information.
A month before sending in the complete payoff the mortgage put in a motion for a release of stay. My lawyer said the only way the mortgage lawyers have agreed to withdraw the release if I pay them $850. I asked my lawyer to provide the detailed explanation of fees and she told me to just pay the money and if I want to review or dispute any mortgage charges/fees I could hire a new lawyer after the chapter 13 is over. I insisted that we were going to continue to send money to the mortgage company if we don’t understand what the fees are for. At that point, my lawyer sent me an email canceling our meeting to discuss my questions and she said she’s going to file a withdrawal from my case the next morning.
I have two questions:
What are the possible effects of continuing to send additional funds to a mortgage company for questionable fees and charges? Does this waive possible objections to those charges?
What is an appropriate response to an email from a lawyer that says she’s going to withdraw from my case, because I would like to understand the additional fees and charges my mortgage company is charging (over and beyond the plan payment/payoff)?
My concern is that by sending money for the fees that I do not understand and have not agreed to means we agree to them and will not be able to address once the chapter13 is closed.