Consumer complaint received 2021-06-24
Company: General Motors Financial Company, Inc.
State: PA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem when attempting to purchase vehicle at the end of the lease

Complaint:
I began the lease buyout process mid XXXX, and it has been a disaster from the very start. It took numerous calls to XXXX XXXX XXXX, a third party named XXXX, and the dealership, all of which had me going in circles and gave contradicting information. I won't even get into that here as I wasn't documenting calls at that point. Had I known I would still be in the process of trying to buy out my lease two months later, I would have been. I did not know that I would still be in the process of trying to buy my truck two months later. Anyway, long story short, I finally obtained it on XX/XX/21 ( see Attachment 1 - Retail Purchase Agreement ). 

I then applied for a loan for XXXX. I received a check for {$28000.00} on XX/XX/21 and per XXXX  instructions ( see Attachment 2 - XXXX  ) forwarded the check to GM Financial with the completed Authorization for Certificate of Title Release. 

On XX/XX/21 I received a call from XXXX saying the check was short but I would have to call XXXX  to find out how much. I called XXXX and they said {$290.00} but that I would have to handle the payment with XXXX. I called XXXX back and offered to pay the difference over the phone to get it taken care of. At this point their story changed, and they said they could not accept the check after all, as it was for a lease buy out and had to go through XXXX. They said the had NOT cashed the check and were mailing it back to XXXX. It would be mailed in 2-3 business days. 

On XX/XX/21 I called XXXX to see if they could simply do a stop payment on the check and reissue for the correct amount to XXXX. They said XXXX HAD cashed the check on XX/XX/21 and the loan was active, that I couldnt have two loans on the same vehicle at the same time, and they would have to wait to receive the funds back. I conferenced in XXXX to ask why they cashed a check they couldnt accept, and why they told me they hadnt when they had. Those questions went unanswered. I asked them to get XXXX on the phone so that all parties were present as I now had a lease payment and and loan payment due within days of each other. XXXX got XXXX on the line and promptly hung up. XXXX said they would start the buyout process on their end from the beginning. 

On XX/XX/21 XXXX called me because I was late ( for the first time in the 39-month lease ) on my payment. I explained the entire situation to the representative and paid {$600.00} to avoid it negatively impacting my over XXXX credit score ( see Attachment 3 - XXXX XXXX  Payment ). The representative said the refund check for {$28000.00} was requested and would be mailed out in 2-3 days. I also learned that XXXX had cut ties with XXXX that day and I would have to complete the buyout through the dealership. 

On XX/XX/21 I called XXXX to see if they had received the check. They had not. I explained that I did not want to make my first payment, which was due the following day on XX/XX/21 in the amount of {$380.00} being that they would be getting the funds back from XXXX presumably any day. They explained that I had a 14 day grace period before a late fee would be assessed for my credit would be impacted. More than enough time, one would think. 

On XX/XX/21 I called XXXX to see if they had received the check. They had not. I called XXXX and after the standard 50 minute hold time just to get a representative on the phone, I was informed that the check was not sent out yet because of a 14 day waiting period - it would be mailed out on XX/XX/21. I was understandably frustrated and said a bad word, to which XXXX promptly hung up on me. 

On XX/XX/21 I called XXXX to see if they had received the check. They had not. I called XXXX to see if it was mailed on XX/XX/21 and get the tracking number as one would presume there would be for a {$28000.00} check going through the mail. They told me it was not mailed on XX/XX/21, it was mailed on XX/XX/21 via standard mail so no tracking number. 

On XX/XX/21 I was forced to make my first payment on the XXXX loan in the amount of {$380.00} ( see Attachment 4 - XXXX Loan Payment Receipt ) so as to, once again, avoid any of this from impacting my credit. 

Overall I have {$980.00} sitting out there in limbo, all the while XXXX spouts lie after lie and sits on {$28000.00} for OVER A MONTH. Why is it that XXXX can get me a check in the mail next day, and XXXX takes weeks to reissue funds they never should have accepted?

See Attachment 5 - XXXX Lease Info for all relevant lease, vehicle, and customer identifying information.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation