text: Is this a sub-prime lender?  Sounds like it is to me.\n\nNo one is that swamped, this is a relatively simple thing to do.  Sounds to me like your current lender is Ameriquest (which recently agreed to a 200M settlement for predatory lending and CAN'T do business in the entire state of CA anymore).\n\nSub-prime lenders can be notorious about getting a payoff out, because, once they loose the loan, they aren't getting paid anymore.  Just realize, that they have nothing to benefit by releasing your mortgage; they loose.\n\nWith that in mind.  You have to stay on them and threated legal action as well as reporting them to your state's department of licensing and finance.