Jun 25, 2008 07:04 PM
10603 Views
I was a mobile freak a couple of years back. I used to exchange my cell phones every 6-8 months. All these were done with the help of Loans.
Once I took a loan from Bajaj Finance and baught a new trendy cell phone. The EMI was about Rs.721 or so. As usual, I used to pay the EMI regularly. Bajaj Finance had a bunch of my cheque leaves with dates and they collected the EMI promptly every month.
Once I had gone for a trip to Munnar for a few days with my family. On our way back, I get a call from my neighbour saying someone from some finance company is trying to get in touch with me and I'm not picking up the phone. I said I've never got a call from anyone. Then I said I'm on my way back home and I'll meet him as soon as I reach home. We kept the phone.
After a while I get a call from my neighbor again. He told me angrily that the guy is a manager of some finance company and he started threatening my neighbour. I was thinking what the hell? Who is this? It seems that person told my neighbour that I got to pay some amount to some finance company and if they don't get me, my neighbour has to pay it seems. My neighbour was the Chief Editor of a well-known newspaper. My neighbour said had got the number by then and asked me whether to take any action or not. I said hold on till I return so that I can figure our whats happening.
The next day I reached home and I heard from the neighbour that one person had come home and shouted at them. It was sounding crazy to me. I was thinking I only have one loan and that cannot be defaulted because there was enough money in the back to pay the EMI. My neighbour asked me whether we need to bring this to the media, I said let me know the fact and then I'll seek his help.
Then I took the number from my neighbour and called up. It was the mobile number of a Manager in Muthoot Two Wheeer Showroom in Trivandrum. I asked him do I have any deal with him and why he did not call me but called my neighbour? He replied it is not he who called. It seems, many loan recovery agents when they visit him use his number to call many others. I shouted at him asking I want to know who called my neighbour and later found out that it was a recovery agent from Bajaj Finance.
I got his number and I asked him whats the problem. He told me its not he who did that. Its true he is the incharge of the recovery part but it could be an agent who called me. He refused to give me the name. Then he told me that they tried calling me once and it was out of range and so they called up my neighbour. I asked for what? One of my cheque got bounced and they presented it twice or thirce and it got bounced. I said how can that be? Then I checked my account and saw that there was insufficient money in the account because the bank took a fine for not maintaining minimum balance.
Then I called that guy again and told him it is a matter of Rs.721 and I will never run away for this small amount of money. I asked him to check my records with Bajaj and see whether I have defaulted any amount so far. That guy started giving excuses. I asked him who gave him the permission to call my neighbour and threaten them through phone and by visit? He said they should not have done that for this amount.
I could have easily taken it to the media through my neighbour. Since I learnt a good lesson from it, I closed the loan the next day itself. But they refused to give back the cheque leaves I had given them. After constant communication with a person, I got the cheque leaves back after a couple of days.
I decided never to take a loan from Bajaj.
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Next, I had the need for a laptop and went to buy it. I had the full cash but didn't wanted to spend that amount. Instead I thought I'll take a loan and do it. This happened in Bangalore while I was working there.
The dealer had tie up with Bajaj Finance and I had to take loan from them again. I paid some amount and the balance was converted to ECS for 24 months. 24 months got over and I wanted to see if there was anything due so that I can pay that amount and close the loan and be free. I called up my bank and they told me they cannot tell me because the information lies with the Finance Group. That made me think that, if it is so, these guys can easily manipulate my records. I tried contacting Bajaj Finance but from nowhere I'm getting the Bangalore number. I somehow got their Pune number or so and asked them to give me the Bangalore number or atleast let me know any due payments so that I can close the loan. They say they do not have the Bangalore contact and neither can let me know the status of my loan. It seems, each office works independently and they cannot retrieve information from one branch to another(STRANGE).
Finally through my relatives I got one number of Bajaj Finance Bangalore and I've been trying that number but no one is attending the call. What a situation. Because of this matter, I cannot use that Bank Account because if I put some extra money in that account, I'm not sure whether Bajaj will take any extra amount or do I have to pay any extra amount though I paid all the 24 months and completed the EMIs and also the Bank is also not giving me a good solution.
Though this issue is still unresolved, I learnt a good lesson.
NEVER BUY ANY SMALL THINGS IN LOAN.YOU WILL END UP IN BIG MESS EVEN IF YOU DONT WANT TO. I applied this in my life till today and I'm so happy and peaceful. If I need something, I'll collect the money and buy it when I have that full amount. Its simple. We just got to learn to have patience.
