Tawanda Thompson Aaron's Refused their laptop and Wants to force me to pay Waukegan Illinois
On my birthday I went to Aarons and rented a 17" Compaq laptop from Aaron's. I wanted a mini laptop and the 17" is long from mini, but they had no mini laptops in stock and I would have to wait a week AND pay in advance before an ordered one could be received. I completed an agreement with Aaron's for a dryer prior to this situation.
They have tried to rip me off on a laptop before by sending me bills after I had returned it, but I had proof. Their automated system didn't receive the change and called me every day for 2 weeks. I'm not mad about that, it was a nice try. I figured as long as I could prove a return I'd have no problems.
The employee told me that I could just try the laptop, I was already sure of that fact because I have dealt with Aaron's before. I got the jumbo laptop and tried to return it Thursday, April 2nd. They avoided it like the plague. They didn't even look to see if everything was there or if it was in good condition. They told me that I had to keep and pay for it 3 months before I could return it.
I wanted to get a mini laptop. The manager made me an agreement for the mini laptop but forced me to pay for the other laptop in addition to the new agreement. He agreed with what the employee said about not being able to end an agreement for 3 months. I told him that I felt like I had been tricked. He told me that I tricked myself.
I always keep contracts and receipts. The contract does not bind me to a lease for 3 months. The contract I signed states that I can terminate the rental at any time by returning the item and all packaging in good condition which I attempted to do. I had held up my end of the bargain, but the termination is not acknowledged and my lease is ongoing because Aaron's said so.
I went to the Aaron's website in an attempt to get contact information to the corporate office. No such information is there. I filled out the contact form describing the scam of the Aaron's in Waukegan. In the form I stated that I would file a report against them with the Better Business Bureau on Monday afternoon if there's no resolution. I would have liked to call and write a letter to the corporate office, but the needed information isn't available. I am forced to see if the form gets somewhere and someone feels like responding.
I am willing to accept that the first ripoff attempt with a laptop was an error with their computers, but now it seems this is a blatant attempt to get me to keep something I tried and don't want.
The concept of renting something is to try it to see if you would like to own it. Not to keep it and pay for it until Aaron's decides they have enough of your money.
How can I exercise my contractual right to return it if they won't take it? In what way am I responsible? Will they refuse to take payments for the mini laptop unless the other laptop is paid for as well? They are separate contracts and I would like to end the first contract.
I tried to return the laptop on Thursday, April 2nd, today is Tuesday, April 7th. I filled out 2 forms on that website on Thursday. In the second form I stated I would also file with ripoffreports.com. They had 2 full business days to respond. I have no desire to ruin the reputation of Aaron's, I expect to be treated fairly and would not expect a business to lie to me about my obligations in order to force me to keep a lease.
Tawanda
Zion, Illinois
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Trice
Zion,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Aaron's Sales and Lease, Waukegan, Illinois
#2Author of original report
Sun, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, April 21st, Aaron's Sales and Lease called my grandmother's house while I was there and I spoke to them. They expected a payment that was due on April 15th. I told them that I had already attempted to return the laptop in vain. They said that Aaron's focuses on ownership. I said that the condition of renting the laptop was that it was a trial because they didn't have the one that I wanted and that the contract states that I can terminate a lease at any time and don't have to pay 3 months. The person on the phone then said that I would have to pay for the week that I had it, he would have to talk to the owner about accepting the return which couldn't be done until Thursday, and that I could return it to the store but they wouldn't accept it unless I paid them. Here we go again with them not accepting the laptop. I asked why they called my grandmother, he claimed their was a problem with my phone. He recited an old phone number. The Aaron's rep then became annoyed at being told he had the wrong phone number. He then told me that I can no longer be late on ANY payments on my other lease and that they must have my contact information at all times. He said that it would be a waste to have the laptop picked up and that I should bring it in, but they wouldn't take it without a payment.
The claim that they didn't have my phone number is false. With EVERY new contract I must fill in my contact information. I filled out 2 forms of feedback on their website which both had my phone number on them. It is not my responsibility to enter the information from THEIR contract into THEIR computer. Now I am being punished for another of their errors and I won't stand for it. If continuing the other lease becomes a problem they can just come get it but I'm sure they won't want it.
They wouldn't accept the laptop the first time when I didn't owe them any money, but they will accept it only when their payment is a week past due on an item I don't want. Due to the fact that I wasn't paying them to take their laptop, I didn't pay a cab to take me there to try to return the laptop they don't want back. They weren't even sure if they would have permission to accept the return, but I should waste my time on a costly trip.
Friday evening the owner of the Waukegan store showed up to pick up his laptop. It took me some minutes to gather the laptop together, it wasn't ready because they didn't want it. He acted like I had tried to run off with his laptop, but it was the other way around and I told him so. I told him that his store staff wouldn't take the laptop and were fighting to force me to keep and pay for it. He said that returns are always accepted. I told him I had been trying to return it for almost a month. He said he wasn't there to argue. My husband came to the door and was annoyed at the owner's claim of accepting unconditional returns and told the owner that I had tried to return it and I had written to the corporate office. The owner stated "I hope you won't hold this against me". I stated "I'll try not to."
My dad told me that they called him several times and he had spoken to them on Friday. He told me that Aaron's called him to give me one last warning. How do they warn me about an item they wouldn't accept back and refused to come pick up? He told them that they refused to take the laptop and not to call again. I don't know what the meaning of their "warning" was, but I had done everything and was STILL doing everything I could think of to return their laptop without my further expense.
Now it's time to see if things have truly been resolved. The owner picked up his laptop. Will they continue to charge me for the laptop? I have already received a bill with my current lease with the cost of the unwanted lease tacked onto it. I'm not paying for the terminated lease, but will continue with my other lease as long as they don't attempt to force me to pay for the terminated lease by merging the bill like they did on April 2nd.