ComplaintsforGreat American Title Insurance Agency

• Initial Complaint

  09/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I moved from Arizona to Missouri and needed my documents sent to my home with a mobile notary. The title company charged me $1600 dollars for service not provided. Closing was schedule for the 13th. I called the office to review costs and I ******* never called me back to review. They missed a credit for me per the contract. No mobile notary showed up and I had to scrabble to get my docs signed. I called the office and was yelled at by the Springfield office when I escalated. I was told to figure it out on finding a someone who can notarize in a middle of a move across country. I called the Springfield office to investigate and both ***** ***** or ***** ******* told me they would call back and two weeks went by with no call back on the status. I also never received a copy of my documents and had to call my loan officer to get them to send it to me. I would like a refund and apology.

  

  Business response

  11/04/2021

  When I spoke with Ms. ********* her complaints were as follows:

  1. She had requested fees for several days but no one would give them to her. I explained that we couldn’t provide the figures until we had the lender’s fees and we did not receive them until Friday 9/3 (PM). The Settlement Statements were sent to the agents on Tuesday (AM) 9/7 (Monday 9/6 was a holiday).
  2. When reviewing the statement Ms. ********* noticed we didn’t show a $1,600 inspection credit. I explained that when she made us aware of the credit we contacted the agent and requested a copy of the inspection notice. This was corrected immediately. The agent’s did not send the notice to us so we had no way to know about it.
  3. She felt like our fees were excessive. This is a $650,000 purchase. She made comments that she had checked with First American and Chicago and that we were $800 higher. This is a $650,000 purchase. She said she just sold a property in Arizona (I think) and that the fees were considerably less. I explained that the seller’s fees are generally less unless they pay for the title insurance. I asked her if the title companies she checked with were Missouri title companies and never got a straight answer. I told her we didn’t have any local First American or Chicago offices and asked if she had checked with any local companies – she did not. I told her we are right in line for the market and don’t know how we could be more than $800 higher. I told her I would do some comparisons to verify. I did and we were about $300 +/- higher not $800.

   

  I asked her if she was in receipt of the closing package which was delivered Wednesday at 5:04 pm. She confirmed that she had them but had not had time to look at them or sign them. I reminded her that she needed to have the original signed/notarized documents back to us before the 14^th in order to meet the closing deadline.

   

  After speaking with ******* it is my understanding that Ms. ********* had issues with not only GAT but her lender and realtor as well. It seems to be a pattern.

   

  ****** and I discussed the fees and agreed that we were in line and would not be making any adjustments. Procedure was followed and there was nothing that GAT could have done differently to please this customer.  See additional notes in the email chain below.

  Customer response

  11/10/2021

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  They have not addressed the fact that they were going to send me a mobile notary as ******* knew well that I lived in a remote town in the mountains of Arizona.  No apology for yelling at me from an employee about how I was going to get the closing documents signed the day of my move.  The closing documents arrived the day of my move.  I had movers to work with and I told ******* that the one time we spoke a month earlier.   This employee said that if I want to close I need to figure it out!  Why would I call them if I didn't know I had to find someone to notarize the documents???  The customer service was horrible!  I even called my agent to tell he the issue along with my loan officer and see if they could help. 

  Secondly, ******* never talked to me about the breakdown of the settlement statement.   I had to call in to have it corrected with the credit needed with the agreed amount for repairs from the inspection. 

  Thirdly, the manager never called me back from the Springfield office neither ***** ******* who were going to look into the issue.   It was simply ignored as in the response sent to the BBB.   I even had to call my loan officer to request that I receive a copy of my signed documents that I scrambled to find someone to sign ALL the papers.  My bank refused and said that is why you pay this fee to title. 

  I want a credit for my closing costs on what it costs to have a notary come to my home since I paid for these fees.   I had to go to another title company to get these papers signed and ONLY because they were willing to help me as I recently closed on the house in Arizona.    I have never experienced such poor service that I paid for on top of it all.   

  Attached you can see the Arizona Title company signed.  I demand a credit or refund I will take additional steps on the is poor service if this is not correct.  PS I have read nothing but complaints about Great American Title on Yelp and through the BBB.   

  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********** *********

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The transaction was on Monday 8/3/2020 for $670.00 for 3 title commitments, I was advised to get by an attorney for estate planning. I was told by ***** ********, at the title company, they would have them ready by the end of the week. I called the end of the week and they said they were running behind and would have them ready the following week. I had to go out of town for work and emailed the title company on 8/14/2020 to check the status and was told they still weren't ready. On 8/27/2020 the title company sent title search results to my estate attorney. I emailed ***** and told her I paid for title commitments not title searches. She put my estate attorney in contact with their title examiner ******* **** to answer questions. His answers were vague. I have been busy working and haven't had time to pursue this until now. Long story short, I paid for 3 title commitments and I was told I would get them quickly, instead I was sent 3 title searches that took weeks.

  

  Business response

  09/30/2021

  Dispute Resolution Department,

   

  I have attached emails with the various documentation and the below email from ******* **** verifying we did everything that the Customer and their Attorney “***** ******* of Sativa Boatman-Sloan, LLC” asked us to do.  When we notified Mr. ********** the requirements from our Underwriter,  he decided the requirements were not to his liking and would go to another Title Company.   Great American Title did the work required by Mr. ********** and his Attorney but has decided to refund Mr. ********** so that we all may move forward on this matter.   I have issued check # ***** for $675.00 and will be mailing to **** **********, **** ** ***** **** *** ************ *** ***** today.  Please let me know If you have any further questions.  Thank you

   

  ****** ******

  Customer response

  10/05/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** **********

*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. ↩