Philadelphia Man Forecloses On Wells Fargo

A Philadelphia homeowner started foreclosure proceedings on a Wells Fargo mortgage office after winning a rather strange legal judgement against the bank.

After Patrick Rodgers got no reply to three letters asking why he was being forced to pay a home insurance premium for a $1 million house when he bought his 3-story Victorian home for $180,000, he decided to force his mortgage company to pay attention, ABC News reported.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rodgers discovered the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, which requires mortgage companies to acknowledge written requests within 20 business days or face penalties. He took Wells Fargo to court, winning a default judgement because the bank didn't show up in court.

Passed in 1974 to protect borrowers, RESPA stipulates a standard complain letter that can be sent to lenders. (For more information on RESPA, check out the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's website here.)

Rodgers won a $1,173 judgment against the bank, and when they still failed to reply to his letters, he started foreclosure proceedings.

The contents of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage's offices at 1341 North Delaware Avenue are reportedly still scheduled for a March 4 sherif's sale.

The homeowner placed a sheriffs levy against Well's Fargo's local mortgage office, to cover the $1,173 judgment, plus tax. The bank paid up in January, but still had not responded to his letters, so he started a foreclosure sale on the Wells Fargo office.

Read the full piece at the Philadelphia Inquirer here. And check out ABC's report here.

Comments

[racerx577]

09:21 AM on 03/03/2011

You know Arianna, Iv'e told you to stop your video pop ups in the middle of me reading an article Stop this distraction now,,also how much of the 315 million do I get for my comments (2nd request) that you sold off to aol...I'm not liking what I see Arianna,, also why do you or have never contacted me with all my requests..

[picaman]

11:38 AM on 03/01/2011

One small victory, but I'll take it!

[pflickner]

01:32 AM on 02/27/2011

Yay!!!!! Homeowners who are being abused by the banks, find out if you have any laws like this! Time for We the PEOPLE (and only human beings are people) to take back our rights (we "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."), and to TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY!

[Andrewwwww]

10:12 AM on 02/26/2011

I know Patrick. He is a nightclub party promoter, and has been running Philadelphia's weekly Goth party for 20 years. He's very successful, very businesslike, doesn't do drugs and is very popular. I'm sure he has ten lawyers. The teeth are real and very pointy. That bank totally messed with the wrong vampire.

[builderman55]

11:21 PM on 02/24/2011

Just think what a few million more Americans behaving like this could do to bring some justice and fairness back tom our nation..

[Dane Ferrell]

11:07 PM on 02/22/2011

I love it,Hi Fives Patrick.

[maureenec]

10:38 AM on 02/22/2011

I want this guy's autograph. :)

[Madison Lib]

11:24 PM on 02/21/2011

Hoooo! Haaaaa! This story made my day.....and I needed it.

[twninja]

01:35 PM on 02/21/2011

haha this is great!

[Aaron Putnam]

10:57 AM on 02/21/2011

awesome. i hope this happens elsewhere.

[GreatGuy-BC]

11:49 PM on 02/20/2011

... It sounds to me like the american people are starting to wake up and take back control of everything in their lives that tick them off.

Politics...
Housing ...
Protesting ...

Keep it up and the real winners will be the american people again

[madrediterra]

06:02 PM on 02/20/2011

*sigh

My hero.

[Sirlarek]

05:41 PM on 02/20/2011

This is the best news I've read in weeks! You go!

[Susan99]

03:50 PM on 02/20/2011

what a breath of fresh air... LOVE IT