Consumer complaint received 2021-01-07
Company: HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA
State: MA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
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:
On or around XX/XX/XXXX, I leased a XXXX XXXX. I paid {$7500.00} up front and was scheduled to pay $ XXXX/month for 36 months. I set up an account and autopay through the HMF website. The payments were occurring on time each month. 

In late XX/XX/XXXX, I was notified by a credit agency that my credit had dropped significantly. Prior to that date, my credit score was over 820 for years. In over 30 years, I have never had a single late payment on mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and previous leases. 

I reviewed my credit report and saw that there were several delinquent payments and a charge off. Yet I was never notified by HMF? No letter, no email, no phone call. I tried to login to my HMF account but it was blocked. 

I called customer support and was passed to your collection department. I was told they were out looking for the car to be repossessed. I asked why and even the customer support person had difficulty understanding why my autopay was shut off without my authorization. She finally thought it had to do with an outstanding property tax payment. I never received notification of an outstanding property tax bill. All of this could have been avoided if HMF had communicated the tax payment deficiency to me. 

The only options HMF gave me was to have the car repossessed or send in a cashiers check for {$21000.00}. I was told that if I sent the check I would receive the title within 10-days and that the charge-off would be removed from my credit report. 

I decided to send the check. I was told to send it overnight, make copies of both sides, make a copy of the overnight label and email it within 24-hours. I followed all of the instructions. A couple of weeks went by and I did not receive the title. When I called they said an odometer statement was required ( why wasnt I told this? ). I sent one immediately. A couple weeks go by and no title. I call and they said that I need to sign a Bill Of Sale but that they need to send that to me and Ill receive it in 48-hours ( again, why didnt they say that initially? ). A couple weeks go by and no Bill of Sale. I call and they say Ill get it in 48-hours. I receive the Bill of Sale, sign it and send it in immediately. A couple of weeks go by and no title. I call and they say the Bill of Sale is incorrect. They send a new one. Its been three weeks since I sent that in and still no Title. 

In XXXX, I get another charge-off for {$35.00} on my credit report. I call and they say it was a mistake and it would be removed in 30 days. The new charge-off along with the initial charge-off are still on my credit report and show I own money. 

I recently was denied any further credit due to the delinquent payments and charge-offs that HMF put on my credit report, none of which was my fault and have caused me great distress given my previous exemplary credit. Why ruin peoples lives this way? 

During this whole process, HMF never sent me a single letter to say that I purchased the car. However, last week I received an email asking me what my intentions are when my lease expires in 5-months! Really? Evidently HMF does have my email and is willing to communicate with me in regards to purchasing the lease or trading it in for a new car but cant tell me that my property tax bill is due?

After nearly 3-months, I still do not have the title after paying {$33000.00} to Hyundai for this car.

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