Hey All..figured I create a separate thread for this. My sister needs some help, she returned a video late last month to blockbuster, but it completely slipped her mind that she owed $14 in late charges. Yesterday, she gets a letter from a CA stating the balance owed to Blockbuster and an envelope to send a payment to the CA directly. She freaked out, ran to blockbuster and paid the $14 on the spot. Question is, can she just forget the collection notice now and throw it away since she paid the OC (aka Blocbuster) ? Or does she still have to contact the CA and tell them that she paid and send a copy of the receipt? Can the CA place this on her report?!?! Thanks!
Incredible. Since this all went down so quickly there's about a 95% probability that nothing more will transpire. It does frost my cookies though, when an OC like this doesn't even bother to straighten the situation out prior to turning it over. In fact therein lies the basics of your argument if it ever comes down to it. Just tell your sister not to worry about it any more but that she should keep her paper work, just in case. It might be a good idea to call Blockbuster and let them know it was paid and ask them to make sure they withdraw the file from the CA. If anything does happen let us know, hopefully right here on your thread. OH - Welcome to the board.
Butch, Thanks for the Quick reply! Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. I told her that there was really no need to contact the CA since the debt with the OC has been satisfied and there was no contract between her and the CA anyway. The most important thing that i told her was to keep the receipt and the letter from the OC filed away in a filing cabinet incase something should come of this down the road. Thanks for the welcome also
Blockbuster did this to me once and I called and threw a fit! They deleted the late fees from my account and I've never heard anything else from the collection agency. I have a problem with Blockbuster doing this to people. This is sooo red! They seem to make alot of money off of people through late fees. I don't know about anyone else, but I get the 2 day and 5 day rentals mixed up and THAT is where my late fees come from. I will not go to blockbuster anymore, but will take my business to Hollywood Video who is directly across the street where I live. Just my two cents
My son had a similar problem on a BB late fee. Collection notice arrived, and a check was returned in envelope provided (which contained the address of the local BB store where he rented). Was home from college for Christmas and went to rent a game, BUT first had to pay the late fee again?!? Store had no record of payment by check (he has canceled check). Take a day off from school to argue for $8 refund? No, and many others will not take the time either. Poor service will cause customers to shift to other suppliers.
If you want to just watch movies, switch to www.netflix.com . It is all online. You never pay a late fee and can watch as many movies as you want in a month.
I just recently had the same thing happen to me. I sent the check to Blockbuster with a letter containing an endoresement clause saying if they cashed the check, they could not report anything to any of the CRA's. So far, nothing has shown up on my CR's. I don't know why they turn accounts over to a CA so quickly. It couldn't have been more than 4-6 weeks after I incurred the late fee before I got the notice from the CA. I always pay late fees the next time I go in to rent a movie. I guess I just didn't rent another one quick enough for them. Elle
Yeah, I myself use netflix as well. I hate blockbuster just for that reason...damn late fees. I will let her know what you guys said. Thanks
Is this something new with Blockbuster? I know they found me 6 months later in Florida when I was trying to rent a movie. I had never received anything from anyone.
I will shed a little light on this. I owned a video store and sold it to Blockbuster. Yes, they do make a lot of money on late fees. But what you do have to understand is that everyday you keep a movie past due, it removes the ability to generate revenue. The older a video becomes the less revenue it will generate. There is a very short period of time to make your money back on the video. When I was in the business a typical new release video cost about $79, takes a lot of $3 rentals to even break even. I do not agree with their late fee policy, I never turned a customer over to a CA to collect a late fee, but just to give you some clue...in one fiscal year we had $53,000 in late fees not paid...does it impact the business...YOU bet! So, while you do not agree with what they are doing you sort of have to see the big picture. I had this just happen to me at blockbuster I was told that if the account was inactive for 90 days it automatically goes to the CA. Not a good way to keep customers in my opinion, but that is what they have chosen to do. I should have been more strict on my lates fees, but I was more into keeping the customer walking back through the door then going to the blockbuster down the street. Just some interesting info from someone who was in the biz for 5 years.
My son got that...they let you have 3 DVD'S and you can get one more when you mail one back...or watch all 3, mail them back, and they will send you 3 more.
Local news story here the other night said a woman in Massachusetts got pulled over for speeding and she had a warrant out for her arrest for $65 in unpaid movie rental charges. The woman said she was cuffed and booked like a criminal. She attempted to then pay the $65 and the rental place wouldn't take her money. The cop was all serious about it. They interviewed the rental place and they said it's in their contract. I think it was channel 7 I saw it on www.whdh.com amazing huh?
Re: Re: Blockbuster Collection for $14 THE POLICE SHOULD HAVE SAID TAKE THE MONEY OR I WILL SEE YOU IN COURT!!! JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY (IN CONTRACT)...MAKES IT RIGHT??? I HOPE SHE FILES ON THE RENTAL STORE FOR $10,000!!!!!!
Re: Re: Blockbuster Collection for $14 I'll probably take a beating for this but my bottom line would have been better if people would have just paid the fees!! You return it late you owe the money. That would be like renting a car...not returning it for two days after you were supposed to and think you owe no more money! The only time I got tough on collections was when 30 days passed and I still did not have the movie back in my posession...then you bet I would tell them they could return the video or have a visit from the local sheriff and with in hours the movie would mysteriously show back up at the store. With late charges that more often than not went unrecovered.
Re: Re: Re: Blockbuster Collection for $14 YES, SHE SHOULD HAVE PAID...but the ARREST WARRENT...that was going to far!!!
