Gerry's Music

Sent a bill to bring past due amt current by 11/23, I contacted them 11/12, was told it went to collection. Bill mailed 11/1 sent to collection 11/7.I had a very past due amount owed to this business. I was sent a bill on November 1st stating that I owed the past amount due and the current amount due by November 23rd. I called them on November 12th stating that I was going to make my account current before November 23rd and was told it went to collections. They said they would try to recall it but they said once the collection agency acts they can not recall it. I spoke with the collection agency who told me they were contacted on November 7th. I talked with them about me getting a bill dated November 1 due November 23, so how could they be contacted November 7? They said that it made no sense on their part, but that is what happened and now the fees are owed to them. When I contacted Gerry's Music they told me that it was a practice that they needed to change, but that they would not recind the fees. Their argument is that I got prior letters, I told them that their last legal letter to me was stating I had until November 23, they said it was bad timing on their part but they would not pull the legal fees because I had prior notices. They used the analogy that if you owe the electric company and don't pay them they will shut off your lights (then stated that they did not take the instrument back). I agreed with them but said the electric company would not tell me I had until the 23rd of the month to pay then shut off my lights on the 7th.Desired SettlementI would like the almost $160 in fees for collections waived since I was given a due date of November 23rd and it was sent to collections on November 7th. I fully agree that I owe the cost of the instrument, but disagree that I am being charged for something that THEY gave me the deadline for.Business Response Our position on this incident is that Ms. [redacted] chose to ignore many bills and phone calls concerning her rental account with us. It is only when receiving a letter from A-1 Collections that she called to address the past due rental monies owed. While she says she didn't receive a letter from the collection company, I believe that she did, and so does my contact at A-1 Collections. Ms. [redacted] received monthly notices from us, as well as reminder phone calls. She then was sent a series of letters from a company called Credit America, for which WE pay the fees, and not the customer. Ms. [redacted] ignored them all.The only argument this customer can say is about the timing. Our billing program generates bills for all monthly accounts on the first of the month. We then receive notification from Credit America that the customer has exhausted all possible letters during the previous months. The list is then sent to collections. Since we receive that list in the first few days each month, the accounts are sent within the next few days. We continually strive to be clearer with our customers about payment for accounts. At the same time, we work with them as long as we can to help them provide this educational experience for their children. We cannot, however, absorb the costs for those who send no payments over a period of 8 or 9 months, such as Ms. [redacted]. Final Consumer Response I do not remember receiving this email, I don't know if it went into my SPAM folder or not.Again, my response is that if you send me a bill stating that I have until the 23rd to pay, and I pay it, it is not my fault that you mailed me something on the 1st with a deadline of the 23rd and you mail this A-1 place something on the 4th or 5th. I paid, in full, the amount requested on the 1st before the deadline of that billFinal Business Response We strongly believe that an account over 250 days (8 months) past due, with no prior contact from the customer, needs to be resolved. We made several attempts to contact the customer, including monthly letters, phone calls, attempt to charge rental fees on a credit card given for security, and outside companies for collection. Further, per our contract, the instrument remains the property of Gerry's Music. Experience has shown us that folks who are egregiously past due will look for reasons, excuses or loop holes to avoid responsibility. We expressed our apologies to the customer several times that an overlap of a bill occurred, but this overlap, by no means holds the customer blameless for the amount and fees due.

Sent a bill to bring past due amt current by 11/23, I contacted them 11/12, was told it went to collection. Bill mailed 11/1 sent to collection 11/7.I had a very past due amount owed to this business. I was sent a bill on November 1st stating that I owed the past amount due and the current amount due by November 23rd. I called them on November 12th stating that I was going to make my account current before November 23rd and was told it went to collections. They said they would try to recall it but they said once the collection agency acts they can not recall it. I spoke with the collection agency who told me they were contacted on November 7th. I talked with them about me getting a bill dated November 1 due November 23, so how could they be contacted November 7? They said that it made no sense on their part, but that is what happened and now the fees are owed to them. When I contacted Gerry's Music they told me that it was a practice that they needed to change, but that they would not recind the fees. Their argument is that I got prior letters, I told them that their last legal letter to me was stating I had until November 23, they said it was bad timing on their part but they would not pull the legal fees because I had prior notices. They used the analogy that if you owe the electric company and don't pay them they will shut off your lights (then stated that they did not take the instrument back). I agreed with them but said the electric company would not tell me I had until the 23rd of the month to pay then shut off my lights on the 7th.Desired SettlementI would like the almost $160 in fees for collections waived since I was given a due date of November 23rd and it was sent to collections on November 7th. I fully agree that I owe the cost of the instrument, but disagree that I am being charged for something that THEY gave me the deadline for.Business Response Our position on this incident is that Ms. [redacted] chose to ignore many bills and phone calls concerning her rental account with us. It is only when receiving a letter from A-1 Collections that she called to address the past due rental monies owed. While she says she didn't receive a letter from the collection company, I believe that she did, and so does my contact at A-1 Collections. Ms. [redacted] received monthly notices from us, as well as reminder phone calls. She then was sent a series of letters from a company called Credit America, for which WE pay the fees, and not the customer. Ms. [redacted] ignored them all.The only argument this customer can say is about the timing. Our billing program generates bills for all monthly accounts on the first of the month. We then receive notification from Credit America that the customer has exhausted all possible letters during the previous months. The list is then sent to collections. Since we receive that list in the first few days each month, the accounts are sent within the next few days. We continually strive to be clearer with our customers about payment for accounts. At the same time, we work with them as long as we can to help them provide this educational experience for their children. We cannot, however, absorb the costs for those who send no payments over a period of 8 or 9 months, such as Ms. [redacted]. Final Consumer Response I do not remember receiving this email, I don't know if it went into my SPAM folder or not.Again, my response is that if you send me a bill stating that I have until the 23rd to pay, and I pay it, it is not my fault that you mailed me something on the 1st with a deadline of the 23rd and you mail this A-1 place something on the 4th or 5th. I paid, in full, the amount requested on the 1st before the deadline of that billFinal Business Response We strongly believe that an account over 250 days (8 months) past due, with no prior contact from the customer, needs to be resolved. We made several attempts to contact the customer, including monthly letters, phone calls, attempt to charge rental fees on a credit card given for security, and outside companies for collection. Further, per our contract, the instrument remains the property of Gerry's Music. Experience has shown us that folks who are egregiously past due will look for reasons, excuses or loop holes to avoid responsibility. We expressed our apologies to the customer several times that an overlap of a bill occurred, but this overlap, by no means holds the customer blameless for the amount and fees due.