My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

On 4/30 I returned my wifes lease car.
I returned the car in near cherry condition,
and thanks to my wifes unwillingness to drive anywhere but the supermarket and target, a full 21000 miles under our allowance.
The return was quick and painless, a few papers to sign and I was out the door in less than 20 min.

About a week ago I receive a call from someone claiming to be from the leasing company.
They informed me I owe a $425 lease return fee and would be willing to take a CC # over the phone to settle the debt.
I ask why the dealership didn't mention it, and was told that the fee is to be paid to the bank and not the car dealer.
I refuse to give my info, but tell them to send me a bill.
I check my contract and sure enough I owe the fee.
I log onto my account and am unable to pay the fee online.

The next day, they call back, and want to remind me they will waive the fee if I buy another car from them.
I still refuse to give my info, but tell them when the bill comes, I'll mail a check.
Same story the next day and the next!!

The bill arrived on Monday and was placed in the pile of bills to be paid at weeks end.
Yesterday I get a call from my boss telling me that Chrysler called my job and told him I need to pay my Debt!!!!
And of course they would waive the fee if I bought another car from them.
Luckily, they gave him an extension where they could be reached.

Through an obscenity laced tirade, that ended with me calling the agent names then hanging up, this is what I learned:

The Fee was due when I returned the car but couldn't be paid to the dealer. :confused:
Though I made 36 lease payments online, I can't pay the fee that way.
Without an invoice I was supposed to put a check in an envelope write Chrysler Financial on it, and let the mail fairies do the rest.
They offer a 10 day grace period, which is why the calls started a week ago.
The calls won't stop until they receive payment.
And of course they would waive the fee if I bought another car from them.

Since I was never disputing the fact that I owed the fee, rather then deal with this any longer I wrote the check out when I got home from work yesterday at 1am and drove to the mailbox with it.

This morning I called the agent and apologized for screaming at him.
In a calm voice I explained that I wasn't mad about the fee, just the fact that after 36 on time lease payments, they are calling me constantly and now at work for a $425 bill I only received the day before.
I informed him I didn't want to buy a new Chrysler and have the fee waived.
And I assured him that the check was written and sent late last night.

I called him back 15 min later and asked if he received the check, nothing
10 min later still nothing.
Another 15 min, and they still haven't received the check.

As the day comes to an end The tally on my cell phone says I called them 27 times to see if a check I mailed this morning got there yet! :sl

Can't wait for tomorrow!! :D

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

:r:r:r


Sucks about the fee and the harassment but, way to have some fun with it :tu

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

NICE!!!!!

:r:r

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

lol

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

i think it maybe illegal for them to call your job about a debt you owe. check your state laws

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

I'd pay the $25 fee at the bank to stop payment on it and then mail them a cashier's check certified return receipt.:D

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

When they called your boss & disclosed the exact nature of the call they were in VIOLATION of third party disclosure. Look up Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. You could walk away from having to pay the fee.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

lol

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Correct they cannot disclose what it about.

By the way you got his number, I can call a few times tomorrow.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

In fairness, I have the same name as my boss :)

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Even after they get the check I'd keep calling until you see it was cashed through your bank...that'll teach em

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Go Dom!!!! Nice job! What's the number maybe I should check on it.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

That there is FUNNY, I don't care who you are....:r

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Regardless, they need to verify they are speaking to the correct party. The way they do that is by as for you using you first & last name, SS# and or a password. I personally would use it as use it as leverage. Speak to a supervisor, a company that size would record all inbound & outbound calls. :2

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

:r:r:r

Sorry for your troubles.. but that made my day!!!:D

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

LOL. But I think the "Rule of 3's" somehow applies here. :banger:D;s

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Way to stick it to them Dom!! :tu :tu

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

:r

Nice!

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

dom
this is great

would be happy to make a few calls tomorrow and see if they have received payment or would like to purchase a used car from us

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Dude, just buy another Chrysler. That 200 that Eminem is pimping has like eyebrows and mouth for a grill. How could you not want one of those? Or you could ask them if they have a New Yorker lying around.

MCS

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

That is too effin funny!

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Is it there yet?
One of my favorite sayings at work is "your logic has no place in business"
It seems everyday you run into more policies that just don't work out in real life.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Oh yeah....that is awesome.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

I know a few years ago, if you were to do something like this, it might be highly possible that you could take a car off lease and sell it for more than what the balance was on the lease and "make money" so to speak in circumstances. In my case, I had GMS pricing, but never tried doing it.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Or a Cordoba, with smooth Corinthian leather.

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

Great story, call them a hundred times today.:r

Last year I got a call from my alarm company saying I'm delinquinet and my account will go to a collection agency. Apparently when they installed the alarm they did not add up the various fees correctly. I had paid them what they told me to pay, but they had made an error of 50 cents. Idiots!:sl

Re: My Lease Return Fee Saga
 

That reminds me of an old phone bill. I had the line disconnected when I moved. I paid the last bill and thought I was done. Nope. I got a new bill for $0.13 about a month later. It cost them more than the debt in postage (yes even the metered kind). I didn't want to pay it on principal that it would cost me more in postage than it would to pay the bill (plus I would have had to waste a check which weren't free). Not to mention, I wanted to see how many times they would send me a bill for $0.13. Total, twice. I'm guessing at some point either a human being figured it wasn't worth it and cancelled it, or their computer software was updated to negate any bill under the cost of postage.