Consumer complaint received 2017-09-29
Company: VW Credit
State: DC
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem while selling or giving up the vehicle

Complaint:
I have leased two Volkswagen XXXX XXXX on consecutive leases. I made every payment on time. After the second lease expired in XXXX, XXXX, I received a notice from Volkswagen Credit that I would continue to be charged for the use of the vehicle. I continued to make timely payments, including a payment received by Volkswagen Credit on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I did not receive further notices from Volkswagen. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I parked the car in front of my house at approximately XXXX at night. My house is at the address to which all communications relating to the lease are sent. When I left my house at XXXX the next morning, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, the car was gone. I thought the car had been stolen so I contacted the XXXX XXXX XXXX police, who informed me that Volkswagen had towed my car. The police gave me an XXXX number to call. The person I spoke to said that Volkswagen had sent me notices regarding the car and my only option was to buy the car and installment credit was not available to me. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I visited the dealership that I leased the car from. The General Manager was surprised the car had been towed, provided me with confirmation that my XXXX payment had been received and a different XXXX number to call. 

On XXXX XXXX, I spoke to " XXXX '', who informed me that Volkswagen had done everything right. He said a certified letter had been sent to me in XXXX XXXX. I told " XXXX '' I had n't received the letter or a notice from the XXXX XXXX about the certified letter. " XXXX '' told me the letter and been returned to Volkswagen. I told " XXXX '' I had n't received any notice from Volkswagen that they had towed my car or where my car had been taken. He said one had been mailed on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I told him I had not received it and requested that he fax the notice to me. To this date I have never received the mailed notice. 

The faxed document stated that Volkswagen had taken the car because the lease had expired, but did not tell me where the car was and merely stated that I could purchase the car by sending a certified check to a XXXX XXXX XXXX It also stated that the car would begin to be auctioned on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I consulted a lawyer, who suggested that I send e-mails to senior management at Volkswagen expressing my willingness to buy the car and concerns about the impact on my credit since I had made every payment. I did that on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I was contacted by XXXX XXXX, who said she would review the matter and that she would follow up with me by Friday, XXXX XXXX, XXXX. She called me on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and said she did not have all the facts yet and would call me the following week. I told her that I had been informed that the car would be auctioned on XXXX XXXX, which she said she was unaware of. After consulting my lawyer, we concluded that Volkswagen was not being responsive and that he should contact XXXX XXXX. My lawyer left XXXX XXXX a voicemail on XXXX XXXX, XXXX stating that this was a simple matter that was easily settled as I was willing to purchase the car if I could get installment credit. XXXX called me and said she had been contacted by my lawyer and she would no longer be able to have any conversations with me and referred the matter to their lawyers. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I sent more e-mails to senior management stating that my car had been towed despite making payments and without notice. My lawyer received a call from " XXXX '' who left an XXXX number and an extension. Despite the fact that the extension was non-working, my lawyer reached " XXXX '' through the switchboard. " XXXX '' informed him that Volkswagen had done everything right and there was no possibility of settlement short of purchasing the car in a lump sum payment. He asked " XXXX '' why Volkswagen would not offer installment credit to a good customer and " XXXX '' responded " I am not a credit analyst. '' Subsequently, " XXXX '' in the CEO 's office of Volkswagen Credit called me. He said that he was aware that " XXXX '' was talking to my lawyer. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX " XXXX '' left me a voicemail saying he would be working through my lawyer. A week later on XXXX XXXX, XXXX " XXXX '' called my lawyer to offer to sell me the car and to waive any fees. My lawyer informed " XXXX '' that I had already purchased another car and that my sole concern was my credit rating. XXXX seemed surprised. My lawyer also asked him why the agents who towed the car did not leave a notice in my mailbox. " XXXX '' said he could n't answer that. " XXXX '' said he would get back to my lawyer within 48 hours with a response about my credit. He left a message two days later saying that my lawyer should call " XXXX '' at another XXXX number with an extension. Again, the extension was non-functioning. I called " XXXX '' on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and left a voicemail. I left another voicemail for " XXXX '' on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. He has not returned my calls. 

While my primary concern at this point is about the impact on my credit, the process utilized by Volkswagen is clearly deeply flawed and designed to both intimidate customers and erect barriers to meaningful discussion of the issues. Volkswagen insists that they sent me notices. I received none. The notice that was faxed to me and all discussions with Volkswagen Credit were geared towards someone who had stopped making payments on their lease, not someone, like me, who had continue to the monthly payments. In addition to the car being in front of my house when it was towed and the agents failing to take the opportunity to hand deliver a notice, the car was leased in the name of my company. My company has a public website the lists both a phone number and an e-mail address.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief