Dishonest *********, ********** and Bullies

<p>I terminated a long-term leasing contract with Ariva in July and returned the car to them on 02 Aug. I have experienced great distress and frustration from the moment I notified Ariva that I would be terminating the contract. The customer care agents and their manager have no regard for the terms of the leasing contract as they actually did what was contrary to the contract in all our dealings. When I enquired what process I needed to follow to terminate the contract I was given conflicting information every time I phoned or emailed. I was told that I would forfeit my deposit if I terminated the contract before the end of the contract period (the contract clearly states that the deposit is refundable even if the contract is terminated early) and the penalty fees were calculated incorrectly resulting in higher amounts. After I returned the car and paid the correct penalty amount of R11 800 I received no feedback regarding the assessment and my deposit until I escalated the matter to the manager. I have since received assessment reports from them including the one from Dekra which states that the car is in good condition. When I enquire about the refund of my deposit with interest as stated on the contract I get sent emails with exorbitant charges (some clearly against what is stated on the contract) for ‘repairs’ of R7500 supported by ********** invoices where I am being charged VAT of R900 by suppliers that are not registered VAT vendors. Other charges are not supported by invoices/quotes – I found that they actually charged me R1400 for items that the dealer was selling for around R200. I am also being charged for tyres which Dekra also assessed to be in good condition. They were initially demanding payment of R11 760 and after arguing the various points on the contract the amount is now of R13 624 and I will not be refunded my deposit of R5367 plus interest as it will be used to cover some of the ‘repairs charges’. I already paid them R11 800 for early termination penalties. They have threatened to list me on all the credit bureaus and pursue legal action if I do not settle all amounts ‘due’ by 08 September. The debit order is still going off my bank account every month and when I instruct the bank to reverse it I receive phone calls bullying me to pay the amounts of the debit order that I instructed the bank to reserve. I am now pursuing legal action (paying for this out of my own pocket) as this experience has affected my well-being very badly.</p> <p> </p>