Consumer complaint received 2026-05-28 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Repossession — Account reinstatement or redemption after repossession
Company: Westlake Services, LLC
State: DE

Complaint narrative:
During the night of the XXXX into the XXXX, my vehicle was repossessed from my residence at approximately XXXX XXXX. The following morning, we contacted Westlake to understand the process required to recover the vehicle. During that call, the representative informed us that there was a possibility of reinstating the account through a payment of approximately {$2600.00}. She then stated that she would request manager approval for a reduced amount between approximately {$2100.00} and {$2100.00} and instructed us to call back in about two hours. When we called back, we received an email stating that the offer had been declined and that, in order to recover the vehicle, I would need to pay the full payoff amount of approximately {$66000.00}, despite the account being only 24 days past due and despite the fact that I had made a {$22000.00} down payment when purchasing the vehicle. Due to the conflicting information, we contacted Westlake again. During this new call, another representative confirmed that it would in fact be possible to reinstate the account and recover the vehicle by making a payment of {$2100.00}. She provided the XXXX XXXX code XXXX, gave the exact amount required, explained how the payment should be completed, instructed us to include the account number correctly, and informed us that after payment it would take approximately 24 hours for the system to process and between 48 to 72 hours for the vehicle to be released. Following the exact instructions provided by Westlake, we immediately completed the payment through XXXX at XXXX. After the payment was made, we called again to confirm receipt. The representative confirmed that the payment was already visible in the system and stated that the vehicle would be released once processing was completed. Additionally, Westlake charged a repossession fee in the amount of {$170.00}, which appears directly on my Westlake account. I also have a screenshot of the account screen showing this charge. The following day, when we attempted to obtain information regarding retrieval of the vehicle, we were first informed that the release had not yet been processed. Later, during another call with Westlake, we were unexpectedly told that the vehicle would not be returned and that the only way to recover it would be through payment of the full payoff balance. The justification provided was that an email had previously been sent questioning the amounts being requested and asking for clarification regarding the figures being charged. However, that email was sent before the later phone conversation in which a Westlake representative explicitly instructed us to make the reinstatement payment and provided the payment code and instructions. At no point during that call were we informed that making the payment would not restore the account or that the payment would be refused after being accepted and confirmed by Westlake representatives. The sequence of conflicting instructions, acceptance of payment, confirmation that the payment had been received, and the later refusal to return the vehicle unless the full payoff amount is paid has caused serious concern regarding the handling of this matter and the representations made by the company throughout this process.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation