Consumer complaint received 2026-01-27 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Problem with fees charged
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX - My daughter and I had a lease with Chase for a XXXX XXXX XXXX. We decided to refinance it them ( doing a lease to loan ) in XX/XX/XXXX -- both she and I are on the loan together. At the time of the refinance, we were told we'd be responsible for tax and title fees for the new loan, which we agreed to. We sent Chase {$650.00} for tax and title fees on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX - We rec 'd paperwork from Chase instructing us to go to NC XXXX to transfer the title from a lease title to a loan title. When we took the paperwork to NC XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, we were told we'd have to pay sales tax directly to the state. We advised Chase told us to pay them, which we did, at which point NC XXXX said we'd either need to ( a ) pay the money out of pocket now and request a refund or ( b ) contact chase about getting a check for the fees and then coming back at a later time. We chose option ( a ), as we'd both already taken the day off to process the title work. 

XX/XX/XXXX - My daughter contacted Chase and requested a refund for the {$650.00} that we'd paid in XXXX since we ended up having to pay NC XXXX directly. She was told the matter would be researched and that she should be able to get a refund and would be getting a call back. At that time she was told no proof of payment to XXXX would be needed. 

XX/XX/XXXX - We still hadn't received a check or a call back so my daughter contacted Chase again and was told they were still researching and that they would need proof of payment. She ultimately ended up providing a copy of her registration ( which includes proof that we paid NC XXXX directly ) via upload to the secure document center. 

XX/XX/XXXX - We received a letter stating the following : " We credited your account for a refund of your unused title fees. We applied it as a principal payment on your account. '' We did NOT authorize for any unused title fees to be applied to our account and had already contacted Chase requesting a refund. 

XX/XX/XXXX - My daughter contacted Chase again to ask why any amount was credited to the principal and again requested refund for the {$650.00} title and tax that was paid in XXXX. and that they would have to research this. This was a 70 minute call with virtually no resolution, as she kept getting transferred and the last rep she spoke to said they would need to research. 

XX/XX/XXXX - My daughter contacted chase again requesting status of refund and that they were still researching and couldn't provide any other update and that she'd have to call back to another department at a later time because the department she needed was closed ( 9 minute call ) XX/XX/XXXX - My daughter contacted Chase again requesting status of refund and was eventually assured a check would be sent ( 28 minute call ) XX/XX/XXXX - We rec 'd a {$640.00} check made payable to NC XXXX ( check was dated XX/XX/XXXX ). This time I contacted and asked to be transferred to their escalation department. I spoke to XXXX ( employee ID XXXX ). XXXX asked for proof that we'd paid NC XXXX directly, which I advised was provided previously. During this call I expressed my dissatisfaction with the not just my account, but the process as a whole. XXXX said they'd first need put a stop payment on the check made payable to NC XXXX, that they'd cut a new check to me and my daughter, and that it would likely be 3 business days before all the activities would be completed. XXXX confirmed she would call back within 3 business days to provide an update on status ( 19 minute call ). 

XX/XX/XXXX - I rec 'd a call back from XXXX indicating they could not locate proof that we'd paid NC XXXX. I advised my daughter provided it previously and that we'd already been assured multiple times that we'd get a check. I then asked if they had a perfected title in their possession, as that should be proof enough that the sales tax was paid to the state, as they wouldn't issue the title without it being paid. XXXX indicated NC is an electronic title holding state, which meant that they don't have a title in their possession. I further asked if they had evidence that an electronic title had been issued, as they should have that as the lienholder, and she confirmed that a new electronic title had been issued and that Chase was in fact listed as the lienholder. I re-iterated again that should be proof enough, but XXXX said it was not, at which point I agreed to provide proof of payment, as I was tired of having to fight. XXXX said my only option to provide proof was to send by fax or to bring the paperwork into a branch. When I said that wasn't how we'd provided the paperwork previously, she said that's the only option I had. I advised I would be filing a complaint with the CFPB because I feel like this process is harming us -- we paid {$650.00} for tax and title fees that were not provided to us when the title work was sent and we've now been out this money for over 3 monthsmoney that is literally needed for my daughter to pay rent. I'm also completely dissatisfied with the process as whole because we never authorized the money to be applied to the principal. XXXX then mentioned that they actually only applied {$10.00} to the principal, which just happens to be the difference between the original {$650.00} that we paid and the {$640.00} check they recently sent that was made payable to NC XXXX -- either way though, we didn't authorize ANY amount of money to be paid to the principal. I told her I was now completely confused because we were expecting a refund for the entire amount that was paid, and how it is possible that some of that money was approved to be credited while the other is essentially being held XXXX. XXXX just re-iterated that I'd need to send proof before they would cut a new check. I asked for an itemized list of transactions for my auto account and specifically wanted to see the {$650.00} that was paid back in XXXX and the principal payment that Chase credited my account for. XXXX confirmed the {$650.00} payment would not reflect as on an itemized transaction list because it's not part of the loan and that she would separately request documentation on that from their research department, but only after I send proof that we paid NC XXXX directly. I said I'd figure out a way to fax and then ended the call. I obtained a copy of the registration from my daughter, which includes the amounts paid to NC XXXX. After searching through numerous apps on my XXXX I was NOT able to find a free option to fax the proof. As such, I called back to see if there were any other options, especially given that secure document center was provided to my daughter as an option during a previous phone call. This time I spoke to rep XXXX and was told multiple times that fax and going to a branch were my only options. She said I could try the secure document center again, but if I was told fax, that I needed to fax. I re-stated my frustration saying that their process is flawed and we should not be responsible for their mistakes/bad practices and that it's highly inconvenient for me to fax documents, as I don't own a fax machine ( I'd argue most people don't in XXXX ) and the nearest Chase branch in 20 minutes away ... and why was secure document center an option before but not now?!? I further went on to state that when we refinanced the loan we were told we had to pay tax and title, which we did, but then when they sent title work they didn't send a checkwe assumed maybe the money had already been paid to XXXX -- it was not. As such, we paid the money out of pocket, and then requested a refund from Chase. Chase said they'd refund and 3 months later we're still fighting to get our money back. The rep relayed to me again that my only option was to fax the proof that we paid NC XXXX. I asked to speak to a manager above her and was told that wasn't an option, but that I could request a call back, which I did. She said I should receive a call back in 3-5 business days, but reminded me that no action would be taken to cut me a new check until I send proof that the money was paid to XXXX -- at which point I reminded her that the perfected title should be enough, but advised that if I would be forced to find a fax machine, that I would be requesting reimbursement for any costs associated with the transaction.

At some point, once my schedule permits, I'll make my way to a branch or somewhere that has a fax machine, but it seems like the title process associated with Chase 's lease to loan product is flawed and harmful to customers. As of XX/XX/XXXX this matter is still not resolved.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief