I currently lease some living room furniture from Aarons Sales and Lease in Neptune City. I have leased this merchandise for approximately one year, and since the beginning I have had nothing but problems.
Problem #1: When I signed the lease I was given a delivery date, and on the day of delivery they called to confirm. I paid someone to stay in our new apartment on moving day to make sure someone was there for delivery, because they would not give a time frame. By 8 pm I had called Aarons because no one had shown up. They told me they would be there by 9, they were just running behind. At 10 pm I called again and was told they were still coming, just late. At 11 pm, nothing. The next morning they called and said they had run late the day before and would be there that day. Eventually they arrived, a day and a half late.
Problem #2: When I signed my lease, they promised brand new furniture. A few weeks after delivery, my husband needed to move the furniture, and we got a big surprise. We had leased a sectional, and the middle piece, the largest piece of the sofa, was covered in pen across the entire back, as if a child had sat behind it and drawn all over it. The wood underneath was also completely broken in one section. We do not have children, so we knew this furniture was not new. Yes, it was partially my fault for not inspecting the furniture on delivery; I was too trusting of a company I thought was good.
When I contacted the company, they first told me I received a discount when signing the lease because I knew the merchandise was used. When I told them this was untrue, they said there had been a mix-up on delivery and I had received the wrong section. They promised someone would come out in the next few days to pick up the piece and replace it. Months went by and nothing happened, but they had no problem calling as soon as I was one day late with a payment. Eventually I stopped paying to get their attention. That worked. When they contacted me, I told them I refused to make payments until it was replaced. They said they had changed management and were unaware of any problems. That week they came and switched the furniture out.
Problem #3: Harassment. As soon as a due date comes, the calls start. Payments are due on the 1st and 15th of the month, and if they do not have your payment on those days, they call my cell phone and then my work. An automated message also calls my cell phone shortly after an employee does. I work for a government-run business, where these calls are unacceptable. The employees are also extremely rude. One time they even told an employee at my place of business that she was a liar when she said I was not in the office.
The lease agreement allows two vacation payments during the lease term. In May an employee called me numerous times saying my payment was late. I told them I had already paid and had my receipt. They called me a liar and told me I had to come in with my receipt. They called back the next day and said my payment was received but I had acquired $20.00 in late fees, so I immediately paid it to bring my account up to date. In June I went in to make my payment, and the employee told me I did not have a payment due but that they would take my payment and apply it to the next one due. For the following payment period I requested to use my first payment holiday. Two days after that payment was due, they called and told me my payment was late.
They then told me I had to come in and sign a paper. Then they called back and said I was not allowed a payment vacation because I had used one in May, which was untrue. I collected my receipts and went into the store to speak to the manager. I spoke with Fernando, who was a little rude and unprofessional but was willing to help me. He told me that in May they had automatically given me a payment vacation without my knowledge. I told him this was their mistake because they never told me; they told me I was up to date on all payments, and when I went in in June they even told me I was ahead by one pay period. He said he would fix it, that I should make my next payment, and that he would put in a vacation payment to take me to September 1st.
Yesterday I received a phone call from Aarons saying my August 15th payment was late. When I explained the whole situation, they put me on hold, came back on, and told me the vacation payment was denied. I said they needed to tell me this prior to the payment due date, and he said they did not. I told him I did not have the money at the moment because I was under the impression that no payment was due. He said too bad and that I had better make a payment or they would come and get the merchandise from my home. (Remember that at the time of this conversation I was only 2 days late.) He was very rude and unprofessional, and at no time did the manager come to the phone. I told him that by law there is a 10-day period, which their manager had explained to me a few months prior, before they could collect a late fee or take action. He told me I did not know the law and that I had better make a payment. I told him I was in the middle of work and could not continue the conversation. They have called my work and cell phone 3 times since.
This business has no clue how to conduct business properly. I have contacted the Better Business Bureau 2 times, and I have also contacted the local newspapers and my lawyer. It is time to stop this business.
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