Last week I got a letter from the bank saying that I owed them $73 for rental on a safety deposit box that my wife apparently took out while I was in Iraq. It was free at the time, but apparently there had been some unannounced change in the policy. I called them to ask that the unannounced fees be waived, and they were intransigent on the phone. "Well, I'll come in and discuss it with you when I bring in the keys," I said.
At the end of that discussion-in-person, they agreed that they would waive the whole $73 and furthermore pay me $4.60 in return for accepting my keys and canceling the contract. I'm not sure if it was my charm, courtesy, or motorcycle jacket.
9 comments:
"...my charm, courtesy or motorcycle jacket."
I'm thinking it's probably more likely that they didn't expect a linebacker to show up.
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Perhaps all of the above. Speak softly and carry a big stick, or something like that.
Not to mention...did they really want to fight out a contract claim with you in small claims court, based on a "contract" with terms you and your wife didn't actually know...?
I wouldn't like to be on their side in a case like that, for $73 or $73,000, either, no matter what you were wearing.
Hopefully you emptied the box first, and contested second-possession being 9/10ths and all.
There was nothing in the box. Never was. She just got the thing 'free' as part of the deal when she opened some account or other, and never used it.
My main irritation (in addition to the sudden appearance of a bill for a service I don't remember requesting, or even wanting) was having to drive to the other side of the state to hand in the keys. This was our old bank, when we lived in Dawson County.
That would right piss me off, too, Grim with gas prices as they stand right now.
I once was requesting service from a quasi-governmental agency and was told a) it would take 4 to 6 weeks and b) I would have to send them a copy of a government-issued ID. I sent them a copy of my Firearms permit. I received the service in 3 days.
Few things irritate me more than a "free" come-on that morphs into a monthly charge without notice. I distrust all free trials on that basis. It's just not worth the hassle of fighting with the generous merchant over the cancellation.
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