Consumer complaint received 2019-03-27
Company: BMW Financial Services NA, LLC
State: PA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Billing problem

Complaint:
I am in the process of refinancing a loan through BMW Financial Services NA , LLC, of XXXX, IL. They have not adequately provided the needed data for me to pay off my loan, and are unwillingly forcing me into late payments, debt collection, and credit report impacts. 

XX/XX/2019 : Vehicle purchased and loan initiated for {$20000.00}. 

XX/XX/2019 : Loan payoff letter received for {$20000.00} + {$2.00} per day past XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/2019 : Initiated loan with local federal credit union. Check created for {$20000.00}. 

XX/XX/2019 : Check mailed via USPS Certified Mail at XXXX XXXX, tracking number XXXX XX/XX/2019 : Check arrived in XXXX at XXXX XXXX  per USPS tracker. 

XX/XX/2019 : 3 minute phonecall. After not seeing the check register to my account, I called BMW Financial Services. They instructed me that they have not received any check, and to talk to my bank to see if it was cashed. 

XX/XX/2019, 13 minute phonecall. I called back and informed BMW Financial Services that my bank confirmed the check was not cashed. They would not instruct me any further, so I informed them that I would like to have my bank resend the same check. I also informed them that I would like this late payment to not be reported to credit bureaus. They agreed. 

XX/XX/2019 : 45 minutes added to commute home to visit credit union and gather lost-check form. Emailed form to BMW through their web portal and asked that they return it back. Was informed that they would " We have submitted the attached form to our Accounting Team for review and research. If they are able to complete the request, they will forward it to [ credit union ] ''. When I asked when I could expect this to occur, I was provided with a generic response about my past-due balance ( which was past-due because my check was lost ). 

XX/XX/2019, 35 minute phonecall. I spoke with a very competent representative. He gladly jumped into the situation, spoke with the accounting team at BMW Financial Services, and informed me that the form would be sent back within the hour. True to his word, I received an email copy of the form. 

XX/XX/2019 : 6 minute phonecall with my credit union. I was informed by my credit union that I needed a wet signature copy, and it would have to be mailed. 

XX/XX/2019, 38 minute phonecall. I called back to the BMW FS and was greeted by the same generic debt collection lines. When I tried to explain my situation, they kept repeating the same questions. They asked for the check # that I had told them on several prior phonecalls. They asked me to hold for accounting, which they had done on several prior phonecalls. At the end of the phonecall around XXXX, I was told that " nobody from accounting is in the office any more, you will have to call back on Monday after XXXX XXXX ''. I asked them how there wasn't anyone withing BMW FS Accounting that could mail a form, and they could not answer, again reiterating that I should call back Monday. I informed them that I could not call during work hours on Monday and that I was very disappointed they would not take initiative to provide paperwork supporting a payoff check that I was trying to provide. At this point I asked to speak with a manager. I was informed that there is no manager, and that I could be sent to the escalation service desk. I was forwarded to escalation services, and then hung up after 15 minutes after nobody answered. 

XX/XX/2019 : 43 minute phonecall. I initiated this phonecall with the BMW Salesman from who I purchased my car. He understood my situation and offered to set up a 3-way call to resolve the issue. He explained the issue to the BMW FS representative, who then reached out to me and stated " I hear you're looking to refinance '', clearly not grasping that I was already in the process and trying to process the check. After asking repeatedly for this form to be completed and mailed, he offered to forward us to another department. The other department answered, and we again went through the same process. We again asked for the form to be sent. We were placed on hold for roughly 10 minutes. The BMW FS Associate returned and stated that the form can be mailed, and would arrive in 7-10 business days. I mentioned that this is unacceptable and it should be overnighted. I mentioned that BMW FS would claim I had past-due payments within 10 days, but provide a form for me to provide them with a full payoff check, after which I would still have to process with my credit union and send the second check back to BMW FS. When we asked about overnighting, we were told it would not be possible. The BMW FS Associate then mentioned that she would go confirm an address, and was again on hold for over 10 minutes. At this point I had to drop off the call, and I am unsure of the resolution she informed to my original vehicle Sales Rep.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation