Consumer complaint received 2025-05-20 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Billing problem
Company: Westlake Services, LLC
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
Shortly after XXXX XXXX 2025 my Truck was stolen outside a gas station. Westlake Financial was the lean holder ( note with intrest was almost twice as much as price of truck ). Westlake were notified about loss immediately after vehicle was stolen. I had full coverage insurance as well as XXXX  coverage through the dealership I purchased vehicle. It took over a month for my vehicle insurance company to conduct investigation and see if vehicle was recovered by local police. In the meantime i called Westlake several times to talk to a supervisor about my situation, because I had non stop messages from them asking about payment. This was because insurance company extent of time, and thinking vehicle was recovered. The only way to notify Westlake of the stolen vehicle was a portal link where I put in insurance claim number. When you call in there is no representative that is authorized to take claim or customer can contact that I was ever notified of. In that portal I notified Westlake that payout for vehicle would be happening as well as I was covered by XXXX insurance. I notified several representatives on phone as well about what was happening. I asked that it annotated in my account. None of this information was ever disseminated that Im aware of or Westlake ever confirmed it had received insurance claim number or knew what the situation was. 
Fast forward to XXXX 2025 when XXXXXXXX XXXX ( final payment ) was made I believe on or around XX/XX/XXXX. I believe it was mailed around the XXXX of XXXX. My insurance company had already made of payment for vehicle for almost XXXX weeks before. I still had remaining balance for principle including interest ( capped out interest rate 36 % ). Here is where issue lies. Westlake Financial was notified several times that I had a XXXX claim in and they would be sending a payment. Westlake not having a sufficent claim system and never looking at notes on account, still persisted with calls and messages about remaining balance, after my insurance payout. They sent me a settlement letter because of impatience. The first was at end of XXXX, before XXXX payment came in. They asked for payment of {$3900.00} to settle, before XXXX payment came in days later. The XXXX payment was {$6000.00} so a little less than twice as much as Westlake wanted to settle for before knowing XXXX payment for vehicle was already on its way. Also a critical point is I opted in and was necessary for XXXX company ( XXXX ) payment to go right to lean holder instead of me, because this process was already dragging, with Westlake constant haste even after insurance payment was made. I also told them several days before that payment was coming from my XXXX company. Westlake still in the XXXX of XXXX sent a settlement offer for a {$3900.00} ( has gone down as little as {$1200.00} as of yesterday ). When Westlake received payment, they then proceeded to ask me to pay settlement amount after getting payment from XXXX, so another {$3900.00}. I called Westlake and told them they received almost double the settlement payment, and not only was principle for vehicle was satisfied, Westlake received interest ( they charged me almost double of what vehicle note was ). Westlake rep told me that not I still had to pay the almost XXXX XXXX and settlement amount because third party payments dont apply. I responded with Westlake was notified about gap payment sent out weeks before, because of Westlake impatience, and not doing their due diligence in looking into situation they wanted to settle to still get some money out of this. Furthermore and more importantly it does not say that on anywhere on the settlement letter about where money comes from just that if I pay the reduced amount, vehicle would be paid in full. Settlement letters are when company does not think anymore payments are coming. I also told Rep if I took the XXXX  payment to myself I could of paid the settlement amount and kept remaining cash, and Westlake could not use third party weak excuse that more importantly says nothing of that. Even the link sent me to pay the settlement amount would not accept a payment from me. It showed a XXXX balance after XXXX payment and could not pay even if I want to. The charges that were not covered by XXXX  payment was from intrest when vehicle when stolen, and insurance time to finish claim, that was an issue as well. This whole issue was because of a criminal stealing my vehicle and on top of it Westlake not looking into ANY of the documents or notes of my calls. On top of it all the representatives were horribly rude to me when I tried to ask about settlement letter and options I had. One representative said I was trying to do something illegal by informing him that the settlement amount was covered and I should get the remaining cash back, because a settlement offer letter is a legal binding document. I have the call recorded because of how I was talked too! This whole situation has been a nightmare for someone who paid their car payments and then had vehicle stolen. I was treated like I was criminal. Westlake still calls and emails settlement offers now for {$1200.00} dollars. They also still have it reported as late and non stop messages!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation