Following is a context copy of a certified letter sent by myself to the General Manager of Customer Service of Household Automotive Finance of San Diego, CA, detailing my frustration:
Following is an account of our relationship with focus on current UNRESOLVED issues.
All dates are approximate to within 48 hours, or -.
12/23/01: Deducted miscellaneous and unexplained charges from statements of 10/23 and 11/23, sent payment of 238.50 ch.#1780, two months later contacted by collection dept. And apprised of delinquincy due to "partial payment" of 12/23.informed at that time, HFC has policy of non-acceptance of "partial" payments, however check had cleared my bank nearly 90 days prior to notification of policy, indicating your acceptance. Numerous collection calls and discussions on above with NO resolve or effort on your part to satisfactorily explain.
My perception of HFC at this point is one of disorganization and an absence of interdepartmental communication. Issue never resolved!
4/12/02: (on or about) Notify HFC of inability to continue payments due to IRS levy. Voluntary surrender of collateral vehicle, 1996 GMC Sonoma.
4/16/02:5am, Steve Macwithey, your authorized recovery agent, recovers 1996 GMC S15 truck, vin 1GTCS1944T8408190, from 3201A Blue Heron Dr., Kiss., FL
4/18/02: Receive notice of intent to auction recovered property w / offer to reinstate or redeem.
5/01/02: Receive Fed-x with offer to refinance at lower interest rate. Contacted 'Danny" @ 800-836-6469 ext. 5565 to discuss eligibility and terms.
5/08/02: Received Account Modification Agreement, signed and returned by Fed-x same day. Contract becomes VALID 5/10/02.
5/12/02: Called Danny @ HFC to inquire as to receipt of signed contract and whereabouts of 1996 GMC Sonoma and procedure for my recovery. Received wrong address and phone #, but through conversation with auto auction in Jacksonville, FL, was redirected to auction firm in Tampa, FL., confirmed that said vehicle was in their lot, however had not received 'release' from HFC, called Danny back, advised, he faxed release same day.
5/15/02: First available day off, proceed to Orange Cty. Tag office to renew tag, discover that title had not been transferred to include my name therefore unable to insure or tag, consequently making it impossible to legally acquire vehicle. Called HFC to advise that title had not transferred.
5/22/02: Went to tag office, inquire about title... No title!
5/30/02: Call tag office to inquire about title... No title!
During the time between 5/15 and 6/05, made numerous phone inquiries to HFC about status. Most of the following calls were made between 3:00 and 6:00 pm e.S.T.
6/05/02: Called reinstatement department to speak with a manager about this flaw in our relationship and to find out what if anything was being done. No gratification as there was no manager to be found, paged or called!!! Told by receptionist that I should call on Friday. Then transferred to manager's voice mail to leave message.
6/07/02: Spoke to Customer Service Specialist then transferred to Valencia of the titling dept. Where I left voice mail detailing the nature of my problem.
6/08/02: No one home at HFC.
At this point I am feeling angry and frustrated with the lack of communication and follow thru on the part of your organization, in as much as you say "For quality assurance your phone call may be recorded", it became evident that either the playback function of your recording device doesn't work, doesn't record or the personel reviewing these alleged recordings didn't comprehend and/or completely ignored! As well as the complete absence of any type of "Customer Satisfaction" program in place!
6/10/02: Valencia from titling calls my home. At 5:45pm EST, I return the call and get the answering machine. Valencia returns my call at work within 30 min. And informs me that she will have title to forward to S.O.B.T., DMV office in Orlando, FL in a couple days and will call back to inform. After some discussion with her about my situation, she forwards me to Dan Espisito, Reinstatement Mgr. Ext. 5502, whereupon I leave yet another message always including contact phone #'s in addition to concessions on your part in order to satisfy me to continue with our contract agreement. As of this date 30 days have gone by since mutual recognition of new contract and I still don't possess the contracted vehicle due to inefficiency on your part. As I continue in "good faith" to resolve.
6/11/02: Got message from Valencia that she was in possession of title and needed address of local DMV to mail to. Returned call with needed particulars.
6/13/02: S.O.B.T. DMV calls to inform of receipt of title.
6/14/02: Called Dan Espisito (unsure of spelling of last name), got voice mail, left message detailing my dissatisfaction with him and his dept. As well as my requirements for resolve. Which are:
1. Register vehicle for remainder of year in my name at your expense.
2. Absorb 'Repo' fee and all incurred storage.
3. Deliver vehicle, at no cost to myself, to my residence.
6/18/02: Called HFC in reference to letter I had received concerning auto insurance, explained to female rep. That I was not in possession of said vehicle and that it was still titled to HFC or whoever and that I was awaiting resolve of above issues.
6/21/02: At this date and time, with the exception of Valencia in the title dept., no-one from your corporation has bothered to return my calls or make any visible efforts for resolution. At 3:25pm EST I call Customer Service to inform them that I would not be sending the 6/23 payment nor any subsequent payments until someone "Empowered" calls to resolve my issues.
7/10/02: Am currently musing over the receipt of my latest monthly statement, which states a past due amount of 259.24 and an upcoming payment of the same, what I find amusing as there are none of the customary late fees and those unexplainable "miscellaneous fees".
The above was sent certified on 7/11/02, events to date, follow:
7/20/02: Contacted by Russell Logan of Special Accounts (collections), in Texas, attempted to sort out confusion, is researching and promises to get back to me. 3 hours later calls to inform that he contacted title and re-instatement depts. And that they're working it out and will be in touch.
7/26/02: Special accounts calls to inquire as to delinquincy of June, July payments. After once again explaining current unresolved situation, female collection rep. Transfers me to Re-instatement Dept., result was something that sounded like a "European police siren".
7/29/02: (a) Special accounts calls again, this time aggressively endeavoring to collect payment... I reply "NO payments until someone "Empowered" calls to resolve current issues. To this date HAF has made NO visible efforts for resolve.
(b) Called Customer Service to see if anything was being done-customer service rep. Earnestly tries to help and transfers me to "Re-instatement Dept.". Speak with 'Danny' (of 5/12/02) and update him as to current status. He assures me he will speak to his boss (the alleged 'Dan Esposito') and try to work the resolve.
8/8/02: Return call from Monday 8/5 to Martha Mays of Collections-explanation-transferred to 'Recovery', transferred again to 'Re-instatement' where I speak with Danny (hmmm...'Danny'/ 'Dan Esposito, still a mystery) who admits that there is a lot of "frustrating confusion" relative to my account interdepartmentally and that he is getting NO answers and a general runaround, but is continuuing to dig. I inform him that I shall continue to await 'Resolve' despite collection activity.
8/11/02: Collection calls my home and speaks with wife who informs yet another blind and uninformed rep. Of our 'special situation' and as yet unresolved, collection rep. Backs off when realization hits that we don't possess vehicle and haven't since 4/16/02. Rep. Then calls other departments to get info, finds some 'Manager' who vows to get to the bottom of this and will call me at work on Monday (8/13) with "resolve".
8/13/02: No one from HAF calls... Still waiting.
8/30/02: Return call received 8/29 from Sam Sharif, Celeste Bass answers (Customer Service Specialist for Collections)-explanation-transferred to 'Re-instatement' where I speak to 'Nicole' (I suspect a 'Manager') temperature drops 10 degrees as she "COLDLY" informs me that my account is being written off as a "SECOND REPO", that my vehicle will be auctioned and applied and that I will be billed for balance because I'm 68 days delinquent on a vehicle that I haven't possessed since APRIL!!!
In retrospect it would appear that even the "Best Good Faith" efforts are wasted when dealing with HAF, which illustrates the dilemma of our times wherein I end up the 'bad guy' with shitty credit because I exist within the lower middle class income and cannot afford "JUSTICE" within our present legal system. As I am certain that contained within the above, HAF is guilty of breaching several contractual covenents and possible conspiracy.
Ahhh... in light of it all, I suppose I can be gratified that I got CLOSURE!
Lou
Kissimmee, Florida
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