Consumer complaint received 2015-12-28
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: FL
Product: Consumer Loan
Sub-product: Vehicle lease
Issue: Managing the loan or lease

Complaint:
In XXXX of 2015 I returned my leased vehicle to an authorized dealer ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) because my lease had ended. I complied with all instructions in the " turn in '' kit from Ally Financial and from the dealer. At that time I explained that I had misplaced one of the keys and was aware that I would need to pay for the cost of the key. A few weeks later I received a letter from Ally Financial outlining multiple charges related to the condition of the car. XXXX was for a dent and XXXX was for excess wear on the tires and as expected the missing key. I called Ally Financial immediately to let them know that I was happy to pay for the key, but that I had not turned in the car with a dent ( I offered to send pictures ) and that the car was more than XXXX miles under the allowable miles and had all recommended service at the dealership ( tires rotated and balanced ) and the tires were well maintained. I told them that I was disputing the charges for the dent and tire damage but that I was happy to pay for the key charge that I was responsible for. On the phone I was instructed that I could only appeal one charge at a time. I selected the more expensive of the XXXX charges ( tires ) and explained I would call back for the dent. I offered to send them all documentation relating to the tire care, pictures of the vehicle at turn in, notes from the walk-through with the salesman when I turned in the car - they never wanted to see any of this. Instead, a few weeks later I received a letter that they had credited me for the lost key ( the cheapest of the charges ) but that I was responsible for the others. I again called Ally Financial and was told that they did me this " as a favor '' and that my case was closed and that they were n't going to consider any appeals on my behalf. When I protested and told them that I felt I was being fraudulently charged, they told me that because I signed a financing agreement with my lease, and I drove the car- they did n't have to do anything about these charges. I allowed several weeks to pass where I notified the dealership of the situation and of my dissatisfaction. They told me that they were going to look in to the issue on my behalf. I have received multiple phone calls at home and on my personal cell phone from Ally Financial but I was not ready to discuss the issue yet. In XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter " NOTICE OF INTENT TO REPORT NEGATIVE CREDIT INFORMATION ''. I immediately called them to pay the balance and to let them know I was going to file this complaint. They asked me what they could do to make me less angry. I explained that I was willing to pay what I owed ( the key charge ) but that I did not appreciate them impacting my credit score and that their harassment and bullying needed to stop. So they reduced my charge owed again - which taught me a few lessons about this particular financial institution. Their charges are arbitrary - they are interested in collecting as much as possible from their customers whether owed or not. They will bully, harass and threaten their customers to get them to comply with paying charges, rather than considering the available information which may contradict what they are charging. When I looked on social media and the better business bureau about this particular company, I realize that I am not alone and that this behavior is typical. Customers deserve better. My concern now is that I am in another lease with them, as I picked out another car and agreed to finance with them at the time I dropped off my car as I was not aware of what it would be like to deal with them at the end of lease.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation