Consumer complaint received 2019-11-16
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: OR
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off

Complaint:
I purchased a vehicle in XX/XX/XXXX, financed through GMAC and transferred to Ally Financial. I paid the vehicle off making final payment in XXXX and never received title. I moved from XXXX  to XXXX  in XXXX and requested title from Ally in XX/XX/XXXX, provided mailing address and was told 7-10 days. XX/XX/XXXX i still hadnt received title, called and was told it was lost in the mail and I would need to pay for replacement an amount in the {$300.00} range I requested release of lien and was denied as I refused to pay the {$300.00}. I then mailed letter from DMV,  original inspection report, application and a money order {$190.00} for XXXX registration fees to Ally and requested title be transferred with lien so the vehicle could be registered, and still today this has not been done. I have made several calls to Ally requesting transfer and title and I an told no due to an account balance but no one could ever give me a balance. Each call I initiated at least four, I am told title will be requested receive in 7-10 days and nothing, when I follow up there is a balance due but no amount. XX/XX/XXXX I mailed again the DMV letter, originsl application, and {$190.00} for DMV fees requesting again title be transferred. I initiated contact at least 4 times since then always told I need to pay a balance without an amount. XX/XX/XXXX, after I demanded someone resolve this issue and provide details, i was transferred to Collection department who told me no record of amount, but there is s balance due and someone would contact me in 3-5 days, never received contact. The vehicle has been sitting all this time as it can not be registered, with the exception of 2-21day use permits in XXXX and currently a 21 day use permit that expires XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I filed a complaint with XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX received message from Executive Services department, returned call with message on XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX received call and spoke with agent regarding my complaint. Provided details of my complaint and requested resolution including the title to my vehicle or a release of lien. During this conversation I provided details and VIN for the car so he could pull up the title information. He mentioned the same as all previous agents that there wasnt a balance he could see either. He stated he would contact his title department and get back to me. XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX he left message for my return call while I was at work. XX/XX/XXXX I returned his call and he informed me that the title was never sent because there was a balance due, I dont recall exact amount but in the {$1700.00} range. I disputed and asked for what and was told from the original balance. I asked for details and he told me he couldnt send what he had but could put something together. He then said that they received my request to transfer title with lien in XX/XX/XXXX, but they didnt, and they mailed me a letter XX/XX/XXXX explaining they needed the original application. He confirmed the letter was mailed to the wrong address, and confirmed he had the right address. I told him it was the original that was sent as well as the original inspection report and a money order for {$190.00} for registration fees. He could not confirm they had the physical documents sent due to the time period only that the system note said it was not the original. He said more than likely they no longer have the inspection report or money order either. He confirmed the numerous attempts Ive made to resolve and told me that no one could ever pull the information and provide the details due to the age of the account. He indicated the audio from past calls where I was told it was sent and there was no balance due were no longer available, and all he had was the notes he could find. He stated the information was hard to find and piece together. And, the balance had been turned over to numerous collection agencies over the years. He stated they did not have access to full the details due to the amount being charged off, and in order to obtain the title I would have to pay the amount due to an outside agency as they were no longer able to collect the payment. I told him I did not agree with the balance and that the last payment was made XXXX, and I never received a call, a letter or notice of the debt until now, with the exception of just being told there was a balance due. He said he would contact the title department to see what else he could do and find out if they had original documents to transfer the title so I could register the vehicle. The vehicle has sat for all but two months since XX/XX/XXXX when I operated the vehicle with 3 separate 21 day use permits. These permits each cost {$32.00}. The vehicle needs a full inspection as belts are squealing, tires, and fresh fluids as a direct result of sitting and currently is my only vehicle. The use permit expires XX/XX/XXXX. After 8 years since last payment, and 6 years of initiating contact myself numerous times I am told to pay a balance still owed from original debt based on the notes and information he could find over the past 15 days, that the account was charged off, that they received my request to transfer in XXXX but didnt transfer, that they mailed the correspondence to the wrong address even though they had the right one, and that they couldnt collect the payment for the title they hold. I dont agree there is any amount due and to wait 6 years to be given a random dollar amount and explanation of their negligence is unacceptable.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation