How do rent a center work

Even consumers with no ties to the rental merchandise face debt-collection harassment when a friend, relative or coworker misses a payment. If these products had been purchased with credit, where laws require disclosures and debt-collection protections, these customers could find help.

Customers face high prices and exorbitant fees. They sometimes struggle to get an accurate payment history from the company. They are harassed and threatened with arrest when payments are overdue. The contract terms cripple some customers when they became sick or lost their jobs. It all happened to Jessica Gonzalez, a single mother from Miami, Florida. She was so fearful of the company employee who arrived at her house to talk to her about her missed payments that she and her young sons sought refuge in a hall closet.

For more than an hour last summer, the family hid while the employee outside her duplex went from window to window banging and yelling for Gonzalez to open the front door. New Jersey, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have strict regulations over consumer transactions, including rental-purchase agreements.

Many of its stores are located near low-income neighborhoods or military bases. To obtain ownership of the products, customers make payments for up to three years, paying as much as five times what they would pay at traditional retailers such as Best Buy or Ashley Furniture. But, on average, only 25 percent of rented items actually end up being purchased by customers, company and court records show.

The company denied repeated requests for either on-camera, in-person or telephone interviews over a 5-week period with Raycom Media and NerdWallet. Rather, the company responded only to written questions. DeWine says that rent-to-own transactions harm consumers. Consumers also complained that the company maintained sloppy records. When consumers are turned down by the furniture stores for purchases on credit, they can sign up for rental agreements through the Acceptance Now kiosks in those stores.

When the bedroom set Corondolette Clay rented at a kiosk in Georgia became unaffordable, she returned the merchandise to Rent-A-Center and received a receipt showing that the furniture was in excellent condition and that her account was settled.

If these complaints had been filed against a financial institution such as a bank or credit-card company, state and federal regulators could pursue action through an array of laws that govern loans and debt collection.

Gonzalez walked into a Rent-A-Center in Miami, Florida in the spring of , looking for a used bedroom set and a washing machine. She signed a rental-purchase agreement. Those limits range from 2 to 2. There are tons of discount sites you can use to buy your furniture and other items for less. The small sectional I bought when we first moved into our house was gently used and from the Facebook marketplace. I also got our kitchen table from the marketplace as well and saved hundreds of dollars on both purchases combined.

Our glass table sits 6 and the chairs were recently upholstered so it looked just like new. You can check out resale shops and other sites for gently used options if it helps you avoid getting scammed by Rent a Center.

However, if you need to make an urgent purchase, this is a much better option than doing rent-to-own with Rent a Center. A scam is defined as a dishonest scheme. A rip off is defined as cheating someone out of money financially. I believe Rent-a-Center is doing both. Rent-a-Center should do a better job at explaining their contract because from the looks of all their complaints online, people did not fully understand or support the terms of the agreement.

They entice customers with the idea of flexible, low-cost payments but this ends up locking you into a long-term contract with ridiculous fees and interest.

Instead, play the waiting game and really ask yourself if you need to purchase the item at this time. Can you put it off and save up instead or wait for a good deal? When I got my first apartment in college and looked at my empty living room, I felt bad.

Have you ever done business with Rent a Center or a similar store? Ready to regain control of your money? Take the first step with this free starter pack which includes:. In her spare time,she enjoys working out, playing sports with her son, cooking, and thrifting. Ugh yes I have done this! I used them to get a laptop. My desktop computer had went out and my kids are home schooled which was about to be starting up so I needed a computer right away.

I paid it off a little early but still certainly over what it is worth. My partner wanted to check out Rent A Center for a PS4 but the cost would be about double than you could get it for off Amazon. I said no way dude. Yeah I definitely believe that because we waited about a year or two after the PS4 came out since I knew the price would drop.

My husband used to work for Rent A Center their loan department and he said it was trash. Many years ago, my late husband and I moved out of state for his new job. I was a stay at home mom with two babies. We rented a house, and imagine our shock to find that the owners had taken not only the washer and dryer, but the refrigerator.

We rented all three appliances at the local rent center. As soon as my husband was paid, I went to Lowes to buy a refrigerator. Black Friday Deals Living Rooms. Black Friday Deals Laptops Desktops. How RAC Works. Shop by Brand. My Account. Back Store Locator. Enter your zip code: Zip Code: Change Hide. Zip Code: this.

No store was found within 30 miles of your location. The store and district manager are no help. They were supposed to order me a new couch and this was supposedly done October 7, They claimed it was on back order due to Covid, however upon speaking to the furniture manufacturer and the main store Ashley said numerous times they are not this backed up and it should only have taken months maximum for my sectional to come in, it's been 4 months and nobody returns calls.

I contacted the corporate office, and the district manager and the head operating manager has not returned my calls. So, I am left with damaged furniture and a store I refuse to contact because of how awful their attitudes and unprofessionalism is and the upper management team has done nothing. Sign up to receive our free weekly newsletter. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily. Are you this business? Save Saved. Live agent Are you this business?

About Rent-A-Center. Overall Satisfaction Rating 5 stars. Sort: Top reviews. Top reviews. Most helpful. Filter by: Any. Page 1 Reviews 0 - 5. Original review: Oct. Original review: Sept.