Complaint about Hollywood Video

Dear Complaints.com Community:

I was wondering if anyone can help me out with this Hollywood Video problem.

My case goes like this:

-Rented 3 movies in 2006

-Returned them, maybe a little late. I sometimes return videos late and just pay the fee next time I try to rent. Usually is only a few bucks.

-I moved a lot for work (within the U.S. and just returned from a stint abroad). However, my billing address has always been my parent's home. They open up my mail and call me about anything important. They never called about anything to do with video rentals.

-Recently tried to rent at the local Hollywood store I've been going to for the past 10 years.

-Was informed about these 3 rentals.

-Long story short - the manager on duty was so rude and was deliberately shouting at me in order get everyone's attention. She wouldn't tell me how much I owed, she just called me a "liar" and a "thief" and said the "only problem is on your end."

-I just walked out of the store. I've never been so embarassed and stunned in my life.

My worry is this following:

-When I entered the store, I said "Hi" to one of the teenaged clerks reporting to this manager. The clerk said Hi back and then I heard him say to another clerk, "Wow, this person speaks English!" I'm not sure what to make of that comment, but I can't help but think there's some sort of prejudice (FYI: I'm U.S.-born, 100% proud American citizen with no accent.)

-I have one Hollywood late fee letter from 2005, about videos I've already settled. I've read on complaints.com and other websites that Hollywood and Blockbuster deliberately delay actively pursuing collections for a while, in order to compound the late fees. Is that true? If so, I guess it would be better for me to pay off whatever the fee is, but I'm scared that the amount will be into the hundreds of dollars because it's 3 videos and they were due in 2006. It's now late 2007...

-The manager said that their collections agency tried to contact me, but I didn't receive any mail or calls and my contact info has always been the same.

-I recently got all three of my credit reports. Not a mention on any of them from Hollywood Video or their collectors ("Credit Protection Agency", unless I got the name wrong).

-I called Hollywood customer service (did not give them ANY info about me). The rep was, no surprise, very rude as well. She said that I had to go into that particular store to settle my account, but, and I'm sure you'll all understand my feeling on this, I don't ever want to step foot into that store again. She said that she could forward me to collections, but I don't want to deal with those "people" either.

Should I just stay silent and only fight this if they ever do find me? Or should I just pay whatever exorbitant fee to get them off my back (natually, I'm going to end my membership)?

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

---------------------------------

Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.

Comment On This

Seems to me the complaint was not about the late fees themselves, but about how the writer was treated when they went to pay them.

This complaint is an example of burned once, twice shy. The writer was publicly humiliated when they went in to pay the store. It would only be natural then to worry about the company possibly acting as an antagonist again. For commenters, clearing up misconceptions about company practice is one thing. After all, the writer was asking for advice. But that's all that needs to be done, not adding insult to injury and fear.

I know this complaint is old now, and hope the writer was able to resolve things.

Comment On This

I have worked at my local Hollywood Video for the past five years. I am an elementary teacher and work some nights & weekends at Hollywood just for a little added income....and for the fact that I love to work there. It is a very upbeat and fun place to work. The complaints about Hollywood Video on this site are absolutely hilarious to me. I cannot believe that people actually complain about getting late fees when they return movies LATE!. In order for anyone to get a collection letter in the mail a movie must be at least 30 days late. We as employees cannot look up every customers account to insure they have returned their movies on time. Instead, every morning we get a printout of movies that are 30 days late. We then call each person on that list (usually there is no one to call because responsible people do not keep movies more than 30 days!) We 100% make sure we call customers as soon as it is brought to our attention that a movie is late. We also have NO POSSIBLE WAY OF ADDING FALSE LATE FEES TO ACCOUNTS!

My opinion, if anyone needs to complain about late fees. they are obviously not responsible enough to rent movies in the first place. i believe FIVE days is long enough to keep a movie out.

Also, just to clear things up... we DO have the right to CHARGE credit cards for movies unreturned (more than 60 days) because EVERY person had to sign a contract..that clearly states HOllywood Video's rights to do so.