Consumer complaint received 2023-08-27
Company: SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA, INC.
State: PA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Struggling to pay your loan
Sub-issue: Denied request to lower payments

Complaint:
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint against Santander Consumer USA regarding the treatment I have received as a customer since opening an auto loan account with them almost three years ago. 

Since the inception of my Santander account, I have faced several challenges which resulted in various late payments. The primary factor contributing to these late payments was the global pandemic, XXXX, which caused financial hardships for many individuals across the country. I want to highlight that I communicated this situation to Santander on numerous occasions, and their representatives assured me that they were documenting my situation and taking it into account. 

Despite informing Santander of my difficulties and their acknowledgment of my situation, I have been deeply disappointed by their lack of assistance and understanding. Despite the documented hardships and their promise to take note of my predicament, they did not extend any meaningful help such as adjusting my payment schedule or offering any form of financial relief. As a result of their inaction, I was compelled to endure the distressing experience of having my vehicle repossessed on two different occasions. 

To recover my car from repossession, I paid an amount that included the overdue payments as well as additional fees related to the repossession process. This put me in an even more challenging financial position. Shortly after recovering my vehicle, I found myself unable to make the subsequent payment due to the substantial sum I had already paid to retrieve my car from repossession. 

Regrettably, the situation repeated itself, leading to a second repossession. I made a significant payment of {$2600.00} to regain possession of my vehicle, only to find myself facing yet another impending car payment that I could not afford immediately after such a substantial expenditure. After I paid to get my car out of repossession, my XXXX 's monthly payment was due two days later. My attempts to discuss my predicament with Santander representatives yielded no tangible assistance or solutions, leaving me feeling unheard and unsupported. 

Adding to my frustration, I was recently informed by a Santander representative via phone that my account had once again fallen into repossession status. Surprisingly, this was the first notification I received of my account 's status, as I had not received any written communication regarding this matter and was told by the previous representative that as long as I set up payment arrangements, I would be fine. I promptly made the necessary payment to remove my account from repossession status and expressed my concerns about the lack of assistance I had received. 

The representative assured me that my concerns would be escalated to a higher authority who would do a thorough review of my account and that I would receive a follow-up call. However, despite their assurance, I am yet to receive any communication from Santander regarding the review of my account or the proposed next steps. 

In light of the aforementioned circumstances, I believe that my consumer rights have been disregarded and that I have been treated unfairly by Santander Consumer USA. I kindly request your intervention and assistance in resolving this matter in a just and equitable manner. 

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation