PenFed Credit Union
Ranked #58 of 75 by complaint volume · 834 complaints · 99.4% timely response
I haven't yet checked PenFed Credit Union's phone numbers against its own website, so I don't list them here. The number printed on your mortgage statement is the one to use.
How PenFed Credit Union Compares
For PenFed Credit Union, "Trouble during payment process" accounts for 33.9% of CFPB mortgage complaints in this profile; volume rose 4% from 2024 to 2025, ranking it #58 of 75 mortgage servicers tracked here by CFPB complaint volume and in this tracked set's lower third; this profile has no linked CFPB enforcement action.
Compare the nearest profiles by complaint volume: BMO Bank and Village Capital.
What Borrowers Complain About
PenFed Credit Union borrowers' most common complaint category is "Trouble during payment process" at 33.9% of all complaints, followed by "Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage" at 24.2%. The three most cited specific problems are: "payment process" (3.4%), "escrow, taxes, or insurance" (2.8%), "trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing your loan" (2.3%).
The third most common category is "Closing on a mortgage" at 12.7%, representing 106 complaints.
Other frequently cited problems include "application denials" (1.6%) and "fees charged" (1.1%).
Complaint volume varied (2022: 81, 2023: 51, 2024: 55, 2025: 57).
Most complaints involve conventional mortgages (40%), followed by Home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) (22.2%).
PenFed Credit Union's consumer dispute rate of 4% is below the 8.3% industry average.
Complaint Volume Over Time
Annual Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint volume for PenFed Credit Union from 2012 to present.
Annual Complaints — PenFed Credit Union
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Complaint Database
Recent Monthly Trend
Monthly complaint volume over the last 24 months.
Monthly Complaints — PenFed Credit Union
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Complaint Database
Top Complaint Issues
| Issue | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Trouble during payment process | 283 | 33.9% |
| Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage | 202 | 24.2% |
| Closing on a mortgage | 106 | 12.7% |
| Application, originator, mortgage broker | 72 | 8.6% |
| Struggling to pay mortgage | 47 | 5.6% |
| Loan servicing, payments, escrow account | 45 | 5.4% |
| Loan modification,collection,foreclosure | 24 | 2.9% |
| Credit decision / Underwriting | 17 | 2% |
| Settlement process and costs | 16 | 1.9% |
| Incorrect information on your report | 16 | 1.9% |
How PenFed Credit Union Responds
PenFed Credit Union closes 70.6% of complaints with an explanation — meaning they responded but did not necessarily fix the borrower's issue. The share of complaints closed with monetary relief was 16.2% to the borrower, which is notably above average. 12% received non-monetary relief such as account corrections or fee waivers. Borrowers disputed 4% of responses, below the 8.3% industry average.
| Response Type | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Closed with explanation | 589 | 70.6% |
| Closed with monetary relief Monetary relief | 135 | 16.2% |
| Closed with non-monetary relief Non-monetary relief | 100 | 12% |
| Closed without relief | 4 | 0.5% |
| Closed with relief | 3 | 0.4% |
| In progress | 3 | 0.4% |
Top States by Complaint Volume
View all 45 locations
| State | Complaints |
|---|---|
| VA | 113 |
| CA | 98 |
| FL | 68 |
| MD | 64 |
| TX | 57 |
| GA | 40 |
| NC | 40 |
| NJ | 37 |
| PA | 26 |
| NY | 26 |
| DC | 21 |
| AZ | 18 |
| IL | 18 |
| WA | 17 |
| TN | 13 |
| CO | 12 |
| NV | 10 |
| MI | 9 |
| MA | 8 |
| MO | 8 |
| OH | 8 |
| SC | 7 |
| CT | 7 |
| WI | 6 |
| IN | 6 |
| DE | 5 |
| MS | 5 |
| OK | 5 |
| NE | 5 |
| ME | 4 |
| AL | 4 |
| IA | 4 |
| KS | 4 |
| OR | 3 |
| UT | 3 |
| WV | 3 |
| MN | 2 |
| NH | 2 |
| AK | 2 |
| RI | 2 |
| HI | 2 |
| AR | 1 |
| KY | 1 |
| NM | 1 |
| LA | 1 |
PenFed Credit Union's complaints concentrate in Virginia (113), California (98), and Florida (68). These three states account for 33% of all complaints. If you're dealing with PenFed Credit Union, check your state's foreclosure laws — protections vary significantly. Law pages for its top complaint states: Virginia, California and Florida.
Enforcement Record
We don't list a CFPB enforcement action against PenFed Credit Union. Our list is curated, so that isn't a finding that none exists; the CFPB's enforcement page is the full record. The database includes 834 complaints since 2012, one of the smaller complaint footprints among the top 75 servicers.
You can file a CFPB complaint about PenFed Credit Union, which responded to 99.4% of complaints within the required timeframe.
Legal History
We list no enforcement actions, Department of Justice settlements, state attorney general actions or class actions for PenFed Credit Union. That describes the cases we track, not a finding that none exist. Court dockets and your state attorney general's office are the places to check.
Search PenFed Credit Union Complaints
Browse the 500 most recent complaints filed against PenFed Credit Union. Filter by issue type, state, date range, or keyword. Try filtering by "Trouble during payment process" — it represents 33.9% of all complaints. Most complaints originate from Virginia.
Know Your Rights with PenFed Credit Union
File a CFPB Complaint
If PenFed Credit Union is mishandling your mortgage, file a complaint with the CFPB. PenFed Credit Union currently responds to 99.4% of complaints on time, ranking #32 of 75 servicers.
Send a Qualified Written Request
A qualified written request asks about servicing your mortgage account. The federal servicing guide explains which requests are covered, where they go, and the response requirements and exceptions.
Get Free Housing Counseling
A HUD-approved housing counselor can review PenFed Credit Union's actions on your account, help you negotiate, and guide loss mitigation options — at no cost. If you're in Virginia (their highest complaint state), find local help.
Find Legal Aid
If PenFed Credit Union is violating federal servicing rules, a legal aid attorney may represent you for free. A complaint record describes reported problems, rather than a finding about your account.
Letters about your mortgage account
A qualified written request asks about servicing your loan. A notice of error identifies a servicing error. Federal rules have different requirements and exceptions for these letters; the guide to your rights explains them.
Disclaimer: Complaint counts reflect consumer-reported issues submitted to the CFPB and do not indicate wrongdoing. This data is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or financial advice. Complaint volume correlates with servicer size — larger servicers with more customers naturally receive more complaints.
Questions about PenFed Credit Union
How many complaints does PenFed Credit Union have?
PenFed Credit Union has 834 mortgage-related complaints in the CFPB database since 2012, ranking #58 out of the top 75 mortgage servicers by complaint volume. Their timely response rate is 99.4%, which is above the 98.8% average across the 75 largest servicers. Complaint volume was roughly stable between 2024 and 2025.
What is the most common complaint about PenFed Credit Union?
The most common complaint category is "Trouble during payment process" at 33.9% of all complaints — payment processing problems — misapplied payments, escrow calculation errors, and billing disputes. Borrowers report payments credited late or to the wrong account, escrow shortages they weren't notified about, and unexplained fee charges. The most frequently cited specific problem is "payment process" (3.4% of complaints). The second most common category is "Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage" at 24.2%.
Has PenFed Credit Union faced any CFPB enforcement actions?
We don't list a CFPB enforcement action against PenFed Credit Union. Our list is curated, so that isn't a finding that none exists; the CFPB enforcement page is the full record. The database includes 834 complaints, ranking #58 by volume among the 75 largest servicers. You can file one at consumerfinance.gov/complaint; the CFPB sends it to the company, where the company can respond through the CFPB process.
How do I file a complaint against PenFed Credit Union?
File at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Select "Mortgage" as the product type and name PenFed Credit Union as the company. Select "Conventional home mortgage" as the sub-product — 40% of complaints against PenFed Credit Union fall in this category. Describe your issue in detail — include dates, account numbers, and any written correspondence. The CFPB forwards your complaint to PenFed Credit Union, where the company can respond through the CFPB process. You can also send a Qualified Written Request (QWR) under RESPA § 6 directly to the servicer, which has requirements and exceptions explained in the linked guide.
What does the timely response rate mean for PenFed Credit Union?
The 99.4% timely response rate means PenFed Credit Union responded to that share of complaints within the CFPB's applicable response window, ranking #32 of 75 servicers. The industry average is 98.8%. The share of complaints closed with monetary relief was 16.2% and 12% in non-monetary relief (such as account corrections or fee waivers). "Closed with explanation" — the most common outcome at 70.6% — means the servicer responded but did not necessarily resolve the borrower's issue.