HRS USA/Sears Home Improvement
Dunning Letter and $168 Monthly Payment After Account Sale

On June 12 HRS USA sent to me a dun letter stating that I was late in making a payment. I did not have an account with HRS USA and I was wondering what were they talking about. There was a bill included and when I looked closely I discovered that Sears Home Improvement had sold my account to them!

I received this letter a week later. The next day I called, told them my payment had been made in person at my local Sears Store, gave them the check number et al and was asked to fax a copy of my receipt. This is when I was told that Sears had just sold these accounts to them and I should have received a letter advising me about the transfer.

I told them no, this dunning letter is the first thing I have received pertaining to this issue.

Then, today, July 2, I called to be sure that my account was properly credited and to make a payment by phone. It was credited but this is when I learned that my new monthly payment was going to be $168.00. When I protested that this is in violation of the contract I signed with Sears 2 years ago, I was told that they raised the interest rate because the contract was now theirs. If I did not pay it, then I would be charge the $29 late fee.

I was told that I could protest the rate — with no promise that anything would change — by faxing my complaint to 1-800-433-5975 attn: Correspondence. Then I asked for a Supervisor. She stood her ground stating the same. When I stated that I've paid the $121 for 2 years now and that I do not have the extra $47 she did give me the number of their consumer credit office at 1-800-220-8588. I have not called them yet.

I am used to Mortgage Companies selling contracts, it has happened to ours 5 times in the last 8 years but the payment was never raised! How can HRS get away with this. It must be illegal.

I, for one, will fight this — even if it means defaulting on the loan. I signed no contract with this company. I did not receive any letter informing me that they were going to become a part of my life until the deed was done, and it was not a letter telling me that I had 30 to respond if I didn't want my rates to go up. It wasn't until I read some of the other complaints that I learned that such a letter was "supposed" to exist.

To HRS USA: May your business practices be returned unto you 7-fold. May you be blessed as you have blessed others.

Denise
Altadena, California

Company: HRS USA/Sears Home Improvement
Country: USA
State: California
City: City of Industry
Phone: 8003916311

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