Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased the vehicle from Sugarland Auto Sales on 6/8/2021. The lienholder is 1st Iberia Credit. Three weeks later I came down with a severe case of Covid, I literally almost died. Due to my illness I missed both my first and second payment. On the date that my second payment was due, 1st Iberia Credit (Mr.Glenn ******* *****, owner) repossessed my car. Though I actually had the cash on me to pay one of the payments, he refused to accept it. I received no paperwork stating that my vehicle had been repossessed. I called twice requesting that they email me said paperwork. They refuse to speak to me or email me any paperwork. I never even received the registration and license plate, so I wasn't able to cancel the plate myself online. This has caused me to have flags on my license. Though Mr. ***** didn't bother to report the repossession to the DMV and take my name off of the registration, he was sure to report it to the credit bureau immediately so that I would not be able to aquire another loan to be able to get my car back or to purchase another vehicle. This has ruined my credit and put me at a serious financial hardship. I am a disabled Veteran. I live only off of disability from the VA. So as you can imagine, it took a long time to save up $6500 for a downpayment. I feel that I am owed at least a portion of this money to be returned. $6500 minus the two months notes and any costs he may have incurred doing the repossession. Plus I feel he should have to reimburse me for the 3 months of car insurance I was forced to pay after he had repossessed my vehicle. ***** would not let me drop the insurance without proof of turning in the license plate. I was unable to do this since I had never received the plate and Mr. ***** refused to communicate with me nor would he issue me a letter stating the car had been repossed.

  Customer response

  07/22/2022

  1st Iberia Credit repossessed my vehicle illegally for the following reasons: They provided no paperwork about the repossession of my vehicle before, afterwards or since having resold the vehicle. Also, they came on my private property without permission and while I was deathly sick with covid. During the repossession I had the cash on hand to cover the past due payment, he refused payment. Mr. Russell has refused any communication with me since illegally towing my vehicle. 

  Though it slipped his mind to report the repossession to the DMV until reselling the vehicle, he immediately reported it to the credit bureaus so that I could not precure a loan in order to refinance the vehicle. 

  He kept my $6500 downpayment, got to resell the vehicle, ruined my credit, cost me unnecessary insurance payments and fees with the DMV not to mention the hardship the loss of this vehicle and down payment have cost me as I am still without a vehicle. 

  Business response

  08/22/2022

  The Client ****** ****** financed the purchase of her vehicle through 1st Iberia Credit, Inc. She agreed to have her payment automatically deducted on the date that she received her monthly veteran payment. Upon the first payment coming due the payment did not process as she had changed her card payment information. I made several phone calls and personal visits to her asking about the payment. On one visit I informed her that we had just gotten the title work to get her plate and that she could pick it up at the office the next day. The payment was promised and that she would bring it when she picked up the plate. A few days went by and no contact. We made numerous attempts to contact her regarding the payment and picking up her plate. She did not receive a flag on her license due to the plate. I did not repossess the vehicle, the repossession was done by a recovery agent and she was there and had her son or some male repair a flat tire to facilitate the recovery. At this point she had missed both payments and had promised on several occasions to pay in which she did not. I only heard about any Covid illness after the vehicle was repossessed when she called the office screaming and cursing demanding her down payment back which was paid to the dealer not 1st Iberia Credit. I politely told her that I was not going to continue the discussion in the manner in which she was conducting it and told her she needed to calm down or I was ending the phone call. She called back a day or so later and I explained the redemption process for the vehicle. The next day she texted my cell phone about this same information and I confirmed the information via text and told her the timeframe and what was needed to be paid for redemption of the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired and sold almost facilitating a full payoff of her account. The reporting of the credit bureau status only happened at the end of that month after the redemption had not been executed by her. She filed a complaint with the Motor Vehicle Commission as well, we were interviewed and provided the necessary documents along with additional documents and text messages between us and the client and they closed the complaint. We made every effort to work with her to try and resolve this on multiple levels to no avail. The fact was that she never paid a payment, never came to pick her plate, avoided numerous phone calls and other means we tried to contact her about this situation. We as a Business can't let people ride around for free in vehicles we finance without receiving payments. We have been in business over 20 years and we are known for being very understanding and accommodating in situations where a client has hardship and most always are able to reach an amicable resolution to most situations. Her income was never affected and she willingly chose to change the terms she had set in place and never followed through with anything. She was mailed a receipt showing the account closed. The account also reports as such on her credit file.

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