Consumer complaint received 2020-04-13
Company: Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.
State: VA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem with fees charged

Complaint:
CFPB Claim against Santander / XXXX XXXX XXXX ( seperate from Santander ) On or around XX/XX/XXXX my husband was in a car accident with my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

On or around XX/XX/XXXX, my insurance carrier ( XXXX ) deemed my vehicle a total loss. 

As a responsible person, I made on time payments to my Santander finance account in XXXX and XXXX even though I no longer had this vehicle, while my insurance and GAP coverage processed claims. 

My insurance company made their payment to Santander on or around XX/XX/XXXX. 

In XXXX, Santander provided my GAP carrier the pay off for the remaining balance of {$6000.00} On or around XX/XX/XXXX my GAP coverage made a payment to Santander for {$5100.00}. 

This is where the issue begins. No one can tell me in detail why there is a {$680.00}. Communication detailing the reason for the balance was never provided. I have made numerous calls to both companies and neither has been able to help me understand why this balance exists. 

90 days later I still can not get resolutions to this issue. On my call with Sanatander today I was told my pay off balance is now at {$930.00} with more principal and interest and I do not even have a call. 

My call today with Santander was the last straw. 

I first spoke to XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) who hung up on me. 

I then spoke to a second agent # XXXX and after detailing the issue and walking him through my problem, he also had no explanation, and only summarized the dates of payments received. I asked if I could pay off the initial balance of {$680.00} and he said that this was not a possibility as I am late making the " presumptuous '' balance. I told him I understand there is a balance but no one can tell me why. I need to know who made the error as it is my understanding my call got totalled. He said I was still responsible for the pay off amount. I told him I was in good faith wanting to pay off the balance of {$680.00} but need all late reporting removed and I need resolution as to why this balance even existed otherwise I would file a complaint with the CFPB. Only then did he escalate the call to a Manager on Duty. 

After being transferred to the Manager on Duty # XXXX, she explained that my threat to report to CFPB is noted and that she will attempt to help me. Again she had no ability to help me by waiving my late /accruing fees. She said she would file a request to waive fees but this is not guarantee and that this would take 24-72 hours and to call back for their response. She gave me a new payoff amount of {$930.00} that includes the unpaid balance, unpaid interest and late fees. I now have to pay an additional {$300.00} but yet no one can tell me why this balance even exist. 

I paid my car for 2 months after it was totaled ( XXXX / XXXX ) and I was told I would have this money returned ( that never happened ). Seems like Santander submitted the payoff as of XXXX vs. a payoff as of the date of the loss of vehicle is what I am now finding out. I continued to pay for my vehicle because I knew it was my responsibility and I did not want to risk late reporting on my credit. Now, someone's error or lack of detail is costing me more grief and more money and no one can explain to me why this balance was not paid as part of the insurance claim / GAP coverage. 

Today I was willing to pay the balance of {$680.00} ... but was informed it had now grown to {$930.00} YTD from XXXX. I can no longer fight this alone and require assistance from the CFPB. There have been occasions through out this loan in which I saw late fees and or adjustments made to the loan for no reason and I was never able to get an explanations of this from Santander. On my calls I was told I was late, but my payment was always on autopay. I felt helpless., but this seems like even after having my loan paid off and car totaled I can not have proper closure to my account. 

At this point, I would like to request a full audit of my Santander account and would like to get help getting all fees and late reporting removed. I would also like an understanding of how the claim was processed from the GAP side and how was the pay off calculated/applied as I do not think I should still owe {$680.00}. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX Virginia XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation