Groves woman claims bank mistake led to foreclosure

A Groves woman has filed suit against a bank that she says failed to automatically withdraw mortgage payments from her account, causing her to face foreclosure and eviction.

Charlenee Renee Hardee claims she first learned of the foreclosure on her house when she received an eviction notice posted on her door.

According to the complaint filed June 17 in Jefferson County District Court, Hardee had set up automatic withdrawals with defendant Bank of America in December that were supposed to go toward paying off her mortgage.

However, she alleges Bank of America had not been withdrawing payments as scheduled, which Hardee claims she was unaware of until she received the eviction notice, the suit states.

"At that time, Plaintiff checked her bank statement and discovered that no payments had been taken out of her account and that there was sufficient balance to pay the deficiency," the complaint says. "Plaintiff went to Defendant, Bank of America National Association, and attempted to bring the note current but Defendant, Bank of America National Association, declined to accept her payment because the house had already been sold in foreclosure."

On April 10, Bank of America executed an appointment of a substitute trustee, who then held a truste's sale on May 4 and conveyed the property to defendant Estatepro, Hardee claims.

However, before the sale, Estatepro failed to supply Hardee with the required 30-day notice of default or with the notice of foreclosure sale, although it asserts that the required notices were sent, according to the complaint.

It was not until after the sale that Hardee received the notice of eviction, the suit state.s

Hardee alleges breach of contract against Bank of America for its failure to automatically transfer payments from her account. She also claims Estatepro's deed of the property constitutes an impermissible cloud on Hardee's premises.

In her complaint, Hardee is asking the court to declare the foreclosure, sale of her property and deed invalid. She is also asking the court to enter an order declaring her to be the rightful owner of the property. She is seeking actual damages, judgment for breach of contract, attorney's fees, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Bruce Gregory of the Gregory Law Firm in Port Neches will be representing her.

The case has been assigned to Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court.

Jefferson County District Court case number: E187-098.