Consumer complaint received 2016-02-22
Company: TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORPORATION
State: CT
Product: Consumer Loan
Sub-product: Vehicle lease
Issue: Taking out the loan or lease

Complaint:
Upon routine leased end-of-term car turn-in XXXX/XXXX/XXXX to XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, XXXX, we discovered our XXXX/XXXX/XXXX lease agreement had been hand-altered post-signing XXXX/XXXX/XXXX to make it appear 1 ) there was a {$350.00} disposition fee ; and 2 ) that the total lease amount was higher. Neither change was initialed by anyone -- and we were not given a copy of the change at start of lease. I believe this is illegal and violates the Federal Consumer Leasing Act Segregated Disclosures provision. 

This was a Connecticut " closed end motor vehicle lease agreement XXXX pay lease, '' i.e. we paid the entire amount upfront on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. 

Upon our own investigation this past week, we discovered our original paper lease copy and the XXXX dealers digital version actually do match. The copy held by Lexus Financial however is the one showing hand-marked alterations. 

We first brought the discrepancy to attention of the leasing financing company ( Lexus Financial Services of XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX as we prepared the car for return. They denied us. 

At turn-in at the dealer XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, we explained the issue to the XXXX finance manager XXXX XXXX and showed him a copy of our original lease agreement. He agreed with us there was no fee and said it should all be straightened out by Lexus Financial once all the paperwork from turn-in has been received. He said if they raised the issue again, just send them a copy of our lease agreement that showed no dispo fee. 

XX/XX/XXXX we received 3 calls from Lexus Financial " pre-collections dept '' reps asking for the {$350.00} fee. They insisted they had a signed copy of our lease showing we agreed to that {$350.00} fee upfront. We asked for them to send us a copy. They insisted it must be mailed not emailed or faxed to us, and we ultimately received their copy by USPS mail ten days later XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. 

In the meantime they sent a collection letter and bill for the {$350.00} with no mention of the issue. They gave a deadline of XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. I immediately replied with my own letter, a copy of my lease agreement, and told them I would report them to the XXXX AG if I did not hear back from them by XXXX/XXXX/XXXX that this issue was resolved. 

Instead, they then called me early the morn XXXX/XXXX/XXXX asking me when I was going to pay up. At that time I decided to drive right to the dealer and get this sorted out face-to-face with their help. 

I met again with XXXX Finance Manager XXXX XXXX XXXX/XXXX/XXXX at XXXX pm, he again showed me that their digital copy matched mine. He nicely called Lexus Financial while I was in the room with him and talked them into faxing him their copy of the lease. It was at this time we all learned their copy was hand-altered and not initialed. No one who had signed our original lease agreement was still employed at the dealership to validate. XXXX showed it to the current XXXX XXXX who apologized and said " it would be taken care of. '' He said he and XXXX had not seen such a hand-altered lease agreement like this before and that it was highly unusual. Everyone was cordial. 

There was some mention that disposition fees were not required up until XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, but that the policy changed XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and since Lexus Financial did n't acknowledge my XXXX/XXXX/XXXX agreement until XXXX/XXXX/XXXX someone just added it on manually - not asking for my approval, not giving me a copy, and apparently not noticing it was a one-pay lease and all charges were already paid at signing XXXX. I believe this is all illegal under the Federal Consumer Leasing Act Segregated Disclosures provision. 

I asked the GM XXXX/XXXX/XXXX for an apology letter from him and/or Lexus Financial and a confirmation the dispo fee had been removed and was not due. 5 days later Lexus Fin confirmed their records still show I owe it. I also suggested they investigate to see if other lease agreements were altered during that timeframe.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief