Bed Lease nightmare - Page 7

Bronze Star · 04-08-2002, 10:20 AM

Hi Mark,

I know when I was doing my research, it seemed that leasing companies appear to be more willing to cut a deal with a new business owner/entreprenuer than a bank does. It was literally shoved down my throat that banks don't favor first time business owners... and they prefer to financially back an established business. Something about it being too risky.

While I never completed the process... I had literally a half a dozen leasing companies just begging me to sign on the dotted line. It was almost like my credit history didn't matter... anything to get my business. For me, who was in the middle of a divorce at the time, it seemed like my only option.

However... now that I've backed off and am taking my time to do this slowly and the right way, I would NEVER go through a leasing company. I would much rather back it with my own cash or go to my local bank for support.

redhot · 02-06-2003, 10:45 AM

I too, was a victim of Tommel. They got us for $10,000 in 2001. My father had just died 2 weeks before they called me at the salon to tell me I owed them $10,000 in back lease payments, late fees and penalty charges. I was a mess, and I completely lost it. I was freaking out and screaming and crying on the phone. And they're like, "please, calm down, we'll try to work something out! We'll just charge you $9000!

I had a lawyer read the contract and he said it was pretty easy to understand and that it as clearly stated that the payments would continue unless proper notice was given on our intentions (to keep the beds). I was a dummy when I first signed the contracts and didn't have them looked over by a lawyer before signing. I should have.
What they did is allowed according to the contract. They just took it to new, unscrupulous levels.
Don't get me wrong. I hate this company with a passion. And I still have one outstanding lease with them. Trust me, I have been sending them certified-mail letters for months now letting them know I plan on keeping the bed.
But, whoever mentioned that they'd call "the President of the company" as a threat - don't count on it. He's in it, too. His name is Tom Kelley. He's a big wheeler-dealer just like his sales staff.
The people with Granite (FNF Capital) are a little better. They're straight-shooters.
Dealing with these people has been the worst experience of my tanning salon career. They know what they're doing, they don't care, they just want to scare you and take your money. That's how they make their money. They prey on niave, uninformed, trusting people.
I lease my car. Do you think that when that lease gets close to being up, that Nissan will forget to contact me about what I want to do with the car? Oh know, they send letters, make phone calls, etc. They wouldn't let me drive that car around for 8 months without finalizing things.
Never - EVER - lease with Tommel. They are bad, bad people.

nantan · 02-08-2003, 05:58 PM

How nieve we can be when we are overcome with excitement at turning a dream into a reality! Banks don't likely share your vision and enthusiasm. If you can get a bank to back you, by all means that is ideal. I wasn't that fortunate and trusted a company that literally R_ped me.
I am still hear but have definately been hurt by this experience!!

pam · 02-19-2003, 09:58 PM

Good to see you Nantan! Thanks for sharing your horrid experience with us. I was fortunate enough to get bank financing but had considered Tommell. Boy, am I thankful I didn't. I have learned now to read the fine print. Hope things are getting better for you.
Pam

Tamar · 08-05-2003, 06:45 PM

Tommel has an intriguing ad on page 78 in the August issue of Looking Fit. Newbies, BE CAREFUL!

lakai · 08-05-2003, 08:29 PM

Did you even read the contract?

Tamar · 08-05-2003, 08:37 PM

Who?

tangrl0605 · 10-06-2004, 10:09 PM

It appears that what is happening here ALL starts with your vendor. You build a relationship with them and if they refer you to a certain lease company, because of the trust you have in your vendor, you go with it.

I feel that any vendor that is recommending Tommel should be boycotted. They are not doing any of us a service
and in fact it is a total disservice to the tanning community!!

I've been fortunate with my leases. I have purchased thru ETS who recommended both Evans and Amerifund. I went with Amerifund because I felt the customer service was better and they paid more attention to what my
goals were. It wasn't the usual pushy, sign on the dotted line thing.

It honestly makes me sick to think that Tommel is still doing this to people (I've been hearing the same stories for over 5 yrs now since opening my first salon). If we don't tell our vendors how we feel about them, they will never know and they will continue to refer the newbies to them.

If everyone takes 2 minutes out of their day in the next week or so and speak to the owner or finance manager of your tanning company and TELLS them how we all feel about Tommel, maybe we can save some of the newbies
out there from failure!!

nantan · 10-07-2004, 06:25 AM

When all this happened to me I did contact the vendor and discussed it with them. My concerns were the same as yours... that they would recommend someone that would take advantage of a new start business and not really care if you survived their threats or not. I no longer deal with that vendor and they are a rather big distributor so I am sure loosing my business alone was not very meaningful to them, but it means alot to me.
Thank you for your interest in my posting. I feel it is very helpful for new people to have some insight as to the predators out there!
I did have a very good experience with Bankers leasing thanks to the people here on TanTalk. Alot of valuable information to be obtained here!

celeste · 10-07-2004, 01:25 PM

I have a different bed lease company, for 3 beds, the approx. amt. the beds were worth were 16,500.00. I have been paying for 18 months so far - $14,607.90 plus what I had to put down - around $2,000.00! According to the bed lease which I did not realize when I signed is that it is a 3 year lease, but now I realize that at the end of that is a buy out option - it is such a racket! I have virtually already paid for the beds, but now I will have to continue to pay the $811.55 each month, unless I could come up with a large amount of money to pay it all off! So unreal - I wish there was some way to get out of it!!!??? This is Pawnee Leasing that I am using!! Anyone else used this company?
(This was not my decision to do this, but my ex-partner that had been in the business, but now is not, but I signed the stupid lease agreement without realizing what I was signing - JUST CALL ME STUPID!)

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04-08-2002, 10:20 AM	#61 (permalink)
Bronze Star Join Date: Apr 11 2001 Posts: 2,732 Rep Power: 8	Hi Mark, I know when I was doing my research, it seemed that leasing companies appear to be more willing to cut a deal with a new business owner/entreprenuer than a bank does. It was literally shoved down my throat that banks don't favor first time business owners... and they prefer to financially back an established business. Something about it being too risky. While I never completed the process... I had literally a half a dozen leasing companies just begging me to sign on the dotted line. It was almost like my credit history didn't matter... anything to get my business. For me, who was in the middle of a divorce at the time, it seemed like my only option. However... now that I've backed off and am taking my time to do this slowly and the right way, I would NEVER go through a leasing company. I would much rather back it with my own cash or go to my local bank for support.

02-06-2003, 10:45 AM	#62 (permalink)
redhot Waiting Confirmation Join Date: Jan 14 2003 Posts: 328 Rep Power: 0	I too, was a victim of Tommel. They got us for $10,000 in 2001. My father had just died 2 weeks before they called me at the salon to tell me I owed them $10,000 in back lease payments, late fees and penalty charges. I was a mess, and I completely lost it. I was freaking out and screaming and crying on the phone. And they're like, "please, calm down, we'll try to work something out! We'll just charge you $9000! I had a lawyer read the contract and he said it was pretty easy to understand and that it as clearly stated that the payments would continue unless proper notice was given on our intentions (to keep the beds). I was a dummy when I first signed the contracts and didn't have them looked over by a lawyer before signing. I should have. What they did is allowed according to the contract. They just took it to new, unscrupulous levels. Don't get me wrong. I hate this company with a passion. And I still have one outstanding lease with them. Trust me, I have been sending them certified-mail letters for months now letting them know I plan on keeping the bed. But, whoever mentioned that they'd call "the President of the company" as a threat - don't count on it. He's in it, too. His name is Tom Kelley. He's a big wheeler-dealer just like his sales staff. The people with Granite (FNF Capital) are a little better. They're straight-shooters. Dealing with these people has been the worst experience of my tanning salon career. They know what they're doing, they don't care, they just want to scare you and take your money. That's how they make their money. They prey on niave, uninformed, trusting people. I lease my car. Do you think that when that lease gets close to being up, that Nissan will forget to contact me about what I want to do with the car? Oh know, they send letters, make phone calls, etc. They wouldn't let me drive that car around for 8 months without finalizing things. Never - EVER - lease with Tommel. They are bad, bad people.

02-08-2003, 05:58 PM	#63 (permalink)
nantan Join Date: Oct 25 2001 Posts: 109 Rep Power: 7	How nieve we can be when we are overcome with excitement at turning a dream into a reality! Banks don't likely share your vision and enthusiasm. If you can get a bank to back you, by all means that is ideal. I wasn't that fortunate and trusted a company that literally R_ped me. I am still hear but have definately been hurt by this experience!!

08-05-2003, 06:45 PM	#65 (permalink)
Tamar Join Date: Aug 15 2001 Posts: 2,240 Rep Power: 8	Tommel has an intriguing ad on page 78 in the August issue of Looking Fit. Newbies, BE CAREFUL!

08-05-2003, 08:29 PM	#66 (permalink)
lakai Join Date: Jul 23 2003 Posts: 28 Rep Power: 0	Did you even read the contract?

08-05-2003, 08:37 PM	#67 (permalink)
Tamar Join Date: Aug 15 2001 Posts: 2,240 Rep Power: 8	Who?

10-06-2004, 10:09 PM	#68 (permalink)
tangrl0605 Join Date: Sep 8 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	It appears that what is happening here ALL starts with your vendor. You build a relationship with them and if they refer you to a certain lease company, because of the trust you have in your vendor, you go with it. I feel that any vendor that is recommending Tommel should be boycotted. They are not doing any of us a service and in fact it is a total disservice to the tanning community!! I've been fortunate with my leases. I have purchased thru ETS who recommended both Evans and Amerifund. I went with Amerifund because I felt the customer service was better and they paid more attention to what my goals were. It wasn't the usual pushy, sign on the dotted line thing. It honestly makes me sick to think that Tommel is still doing this to people (I've been hearing the same stories for over 5 yrs now since opening my first salon). If we don't tell our vendors how we feel about them, they will never know and they will continue to refer the newbies to them. If everyone takes 2 minutes out of their day in the next week or so and speak to the owner or finance manager of your tanning company and TELLS them how we all feel about Tommel, maybe we can save some of the newbies out there from failure!!

10-07-2004, 06:25 AM	#69 (permalink)
nantan Join Date: Oct 25 2001 Posts: 109 Rep Power: 7	When all this happened to me I did contact the vendor and discussed it with them. My concerns were the same as yours... that they would recommend someone that would take advantage of a new start business and not really care if you survived their threats or not. I no longer deal with that vendor and they are a rather big distributor so I am sure loosing my business alone was not very meaningful to them, but it means alot to me. Thank you for your interest in my posting. I feel it is very helpful for new people to have some insight as to the predators out there! I did have a very good experience with Bankers leasing thanks to the people here on TanTalk. Alot of valuable information to be obtained here!

10-07-2004, 01:25 PM	#70 (permalink)
celeste Join Date: Feb 2 2004 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	I have a different bed lease company, for 3 beds, the approx. amt. the beds were worth were 16,500.00. I have been paying for 18 months so far - $14,607.90 plus what I had to put down - around $2,000.00! According to the bed lease which I did not realize when I signed is that it is a 3 year lease, but now I realize that at the end of that is a buy out option - it is such a racket! I have virtually already paid for the beds, but now I will have to continue to pay the $811.55 each month, unless I could come up with a large amount of money to pay it all off! So unreal - I wish there was some way to get out of it!!!??? This is Pawnee Leasing that I am using!! Anyone else used this company? (This was not my decision to do this, but my ex-partner that had been in the business, but now is not, but I signed the stupid lease agreement without realizing what I was signing - JUST CALL ME STUPID!)

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