ComplaintsforHomestead Recording Service

• Initial Complaint

  08/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This is a scam. They make it seem like its a legit exemption, and try to trick you into paying the 55$. This ends up being nothing more than a deposit into their account. We are new home owners and my significant other got fooled by their letter.

  Business response

  08/07/2024

  We are sorry that ****************** wife did not read the form in its entirety, but it states several times that our service is not for the tax exemption.  We have not received any communication from them in regards to a request for a refund directly, but we would be happy to refund the card used for the service.  

  Customer response

  08/08/2024

  Complaint: 22103881
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Please refund the card used.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  08/08/2024

  We stated in our response yesterday that we would be happy to refund the customer which we did yesterday as requested.  I am sorry that ************** did not read our response thoroughly.

• Initial Complaint

  07/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was scammed into believing that it was necessary to get a document notarized and then mail them a check for $49 on top of the 55$ I paid this fraudulent company online. I was under impression I was working with the government not a third party. Extremely misleading.

  Business response

  07/30/2024

  Unfortunately we do not find a customer with the last name **** in our database.  If we could get the appropriate information for this individual we would be happy to refund them if they are a customer.  We would also like to point out that our form states several times in large bold font that we are not a government agency so if Mr. **** confused us we are sorry if he did not read the mail we had sent him in its entirety, but we also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee which if he signed up with our company he agreed to so once we get the appropriate information we can go ahead and issue that refund. Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  07/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Received a misleading letter in the mail disguised as a homestead exemption application.After application and payment was completed I contacted the property tax department to check on the status and discovered that this letter from this company is not affiliated with the Texas appraisal district and nothing was recorded.I tried to contact this business but could not get any live representative on the phone. I left messages to issue a refund.

  Business response

  07/23/2024

  Unfortunately **************** mis-read our document because it states that we are a private entity and the form does not affect the tax exemption.  As **************** stated he contacted our automated phone system and a refund was issued as requested and explained to **************** when he called the automated system.  His refund should appear on his account in 5 to 10 days depending on his credit card company.

• Initial Complaint

  06/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  received letter in the mail that said spoke to homestead exemption. We are new homeowners and thought that this was what we needed to fill out and pay inorder to receive that tax benefit. We went to the website that was on the form home-tx.com and completed the $55 transaction. After googling further, we realized this is a scam.

  Business response

  06/13/2024

  We are sorry ****************** confused our service for helping homeowners with the tax exemption.  Our form states several times that we do not assist with the tax exemption.  Had she contacted us directly we would have refunded her if she no longer wanted the service.  Because of this inquiry we have gone ahead and refunded her credit card. Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Received letter from this company posing as local clark county assessors office for records, stating we needed to pay this Homestead Recording Services. Later found out ************ isn't even located in the *************** in to handle matters such as this. Yes we are new home buyers and were tricked and should have investigated but didn't realize we got scammed.

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  We think ******** is confusing our service with something else.  The Declaration of Homestead protects the equity in a ******************* and is completed at the county clerk's office not the county assessors office whom she stated she thought we were.  If ******** does not want to file for the Declaration (equity protection) please have her send back her document with a note requesting a refund and we will process immediately. Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  02/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I thought that I was registering for a homestead exemption on my taxes, but that is not the case. I paid $35 on 2/24/24. I have no idea what I got for my money, but it is not what I thought I was paying for. This seems like a scam.

  Business response

  02/26/2024

  We are sorry *************** did not read our application where it explains our service and form is not for the tax exemption.  We help homeowners with the Designation of Homestead which protects a homeowner's property from creditors once the appropriate paperwork is filed at their county clerks office.  We are not a scam it just appears *************** did not read the form she received and assumed that we provided a service that we don't.  We have gone ahead and refunded her card used to sign up. Thanks

  Customer response

  02/27/2024

  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.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Got a designation of homestead request from this company not realizing they do not truly file homesteads. Mailed March 2023. Confirmed with ********** in November 2023 that this company does not follow through and file homesteads. Application fee is bogus and not for the service advertised. calls to the company go unanswered and voice-mail is ignored. I have gone and filed my own homestead with **********.

  Business response

  02/02/2024

  If ********************* contacted the Dallas County ****************** they would not show any filing from our company.  We file the Designation of Homestead for customers and this paperwork is filed at the County ************** not the tax office.  We have attached a copy of the Designation of Homestead documentation that we just downloaded from the **************************** which is the service we provided for **********************  He will see on page 2 the county stamp and date of recording.  Again this is not the tax office.  We have also attached a copy of the refund receipt from the refund we issued to his credit card back in December when he reached out to us.  I hope this helps. Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  01/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The Homestead Recording Service said they would file our home exemption form and never did. We paid $35 the first time and $49 the second time. We paid this in December. We would like a refund back.

  Business response

  01/29/2024

  The service ************** completed with our company is for the Designation of Homestead.  This homestead does not affect the tax exemption and is filed at the county clerk's office not the the county appraisal district.  The mailing ************** received stated this several times.  The Designation was sent to Tarrant County ************** on 1-15-2024 to be recorded so his Designation will be completed soon.  Again this does not affect the tax exemption.  The service ************** paid for to our company has been completed, but we will still refund him as requested.

  Customer response

  01/30/2024

  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. We would like our refund. 
  
  Regards,
  
  Azanel Bonuz

  Customer response

  01/31/2024

  Complaint: 21215391
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

   

   

  I would like for my address information to be relayed to the Homestead Recording Service to receive my refund by mail. My address is:

   

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

  **********, ** 76123

   

   

  
  
  Regards,
  
  Azanel Bonuz

  Business response

  01/31/2024

  We have their address and will be sending the refund check to it next week.  They should receive shortly. Thanks

  Customer response

  01/31/2024

  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.
  
  Regards,
  
  Azanel Bonuz

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband thought that it was a legitimate service and that we needed to file for homestead exemption each year. By the time I realized it was a scam, I had paid $55

  Business response

  01/24/2024

  Thanks for the inquiry from *******************  Unfortunately Mr. ******* like others who post on the BBB site are not aware of the Designation of Homestead.  Mr. ******* speaks of taxes in his inquiry and our company does not assist with the tax exemption.  Our company provides a service to help homeowners file for the Designation of Homestead which is offered by the ************** for residents.  This Designation protects a homestead from the forced sale, for the payment of all debts except for the purchase money, or a part of such purchase, taxes, etc.  We prepare the document homeowner's would file at their County ************** for this protection offered by the **************.  This protection is very different from the Homestead Tax Exemption and filed at the ******************** not the County Tax Assessors.  We have gone ahead and issued Mr. ******* a refund.

  Customer response

  01/24/2024

  Complaint: 21191716
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

   

  I will accept the offer from Homestead Recording Services if and when they do the following:

   

  1. I have confirmation of the refund to my credit card 2. I am removed from their mailing list permanently

   

  Thank you.

  
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  01/24/2024

  We have removed them from our mailing list.  Refund was submitted to credit card ending in **** this morning.  When signing up they did not include their email address on the application so we unfortunately have no way of sending a refund receipt.  They can call their credit card company to check on this or wait the 3 to 7 days it usually takes for the refund to show up on their card. Thanks

  Customer response

  01/26/2024

  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. The refund has posted to my account.  I am hopeful they will comply with the no contact requirement.  Thank you
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a letter from Homestead Recording Service, stated that I must pay $49 and send it along with notarized Designation of Homestead to the provided address, otherwise my official document will not be recorded. I went to notarize the form, that cost me $10 and sent it along with my personal check. Earlier the same company asked for really small amount of money also in connection with Homestead, so I sent money to them also.

  Business response

  01/16/2024

  We show that **************** sent ** $49 to record her Designation of Homestead with ****************************.  We sent this filing to the county on 1-15-2024 and expect the completed documentation back within the next few weeks.  If **************** is no longer interested in her Designation we will gladly refund her the $49 paid for the filing service.  This service has already been completed and she will eventually receive the filed Designation back from Colling County Clerk's office.  Her refund check will go out in next weeks mail. Thanks

  Customer response

  01/16/2024

  Complaint: 21148533
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Customer response

  01/25/2024

  Complaint: 21148533
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I was not satisfied with BBB response to my claim. The Homestead Recording Service is a fraudulent company. They did not do anything for me, but I spent $94.00 all together been spammed by them. My Homestead was recorded along with my documents at the time of approval. I learned that by checking with Appraisals District. The Homestead Recording Service just stole $94.00 from me. Please help to refund my money. Thanks
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  After reading the customers 2nd response it appears she is confusing the Designation of Homestead (what our company does) and the Homestead Tax Exemption.  We helped **************** file for the Designation of Homestead which is filed at the county clerk's office and she mentions in her inquiry that she spoke to the appraisal district.  These are two different offices that do two separate things.  Again we sent ******************** paperwork to be filed at the county clerk's office and she spoke to the county appraisal district.  This would make sense at why she is not seeing her paperwork completed.  We have already mailed her refund for $49 so we will send her an additional refund of $35 for the document preparation we completed for her.  This is all the monies our company received on her behalf.  We have included a copy of the Designation paperwork that we in fact filed for **************** with the county clerk's office.  This was the service we offered and charged for.

  Customer response

  01/25/2024

  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.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

   

*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. ↩