From start to finish, this company misrepresented themselves and service. Check out attached statements and see what happened, you wont believe it yourselfOctober 15, 2010


To whom it may concern;


My name is Travie Nail, I reside at 2504 Crossgate Place, Birmingham, AL. 35216. This is my statement concerning the damage on the hardwood floor during set up of the leather sectional sofa as well as the damage on the actual sectional and ottoman provided by Aarons leasing company. The furniture was brought into the home and placed into the living room. During set up of the furniture, the couch was moved into place, the Aarons employees were on each end of the sectional and I myself was in the middle of the sectional. The employee on the left had his end raised as well as I in the middle had the middle raised, however, the employee on the left, instead of raising his end of the sectional, pushed the end of the sectional backwards into place damaging the floor severely. The scratch is in newly refinished hardwood floors is approximately 1/8” deep and approximately 24-30 inches long. There is also a dented semi-circle in the floor in front of the scratch where the couch was spun on the floor instead of being raised and moved. My wife immediately pointed out the groove scratched into the floor and showed the employees the damage. Once the employees examined the damage, they suggested they would call the store to let their supervisor know what happened. One employee then went outside and called. Once the employee came back into the residence, he notified me that I needed to call the store and speak to the salesperson. I then immediately called the store to speak to the salesperson and was transferred to the assistant manager. The assistant manager then proceeded to tell me the employee that called in told him I scratched the floor with the couch. I put the phone on speaker with everyone in the room present, myself, my wife, my employee, the two Aarons employees as well as my children and asked the employee if he indeed told the manager I caused the damaged, and he replied he did not say that at all. I proceeded to tell the assistant manager what was happening and he replied with an attitude. Once I asked him what was the course of action needed to be taken, he then proceeded to “not being able to hear me any longer”.
I then just asked to speak to the regional manger that took care of our closing the day before and was put on hold for approximately 12 minutes. The entire conversation was overheard by all present. Once the regional manager answered the phone, he asked me what the issue was and how could he help to resolve it. Again I was accused of causing the damage myself. After a short conversation, the regional manager asked to speak to one of the employees. The employee that spoke to him collaborated the incident at that time.
I feel like this incident was not handled properly in any way. I feel like the employee that caused the damage went outside to make the phone call to the store to change the liability of the damage to myself. I also feel like the assistant manager does not know how to properly handle customer issues and really needs some training in the matter. The way this issue was handled was truly unprofessional and at best inadequate. I feel like the employee that caused the damage was totally unprofessional and almost ridiculous in trying to shift blame to someone other than himself. As a small business owner myself, I pride myself, as well as those who represent my company, in having integrity, good communication, and a willingness to resolve any issue that may arise in a professional manner. None of this was done here today.
I appreciate the ability to come to your store and purchase furniture quickly when needed. We have just suffered a house fire that was a “total” loss and decided to use Aarons to supply the home we leased due to our situation. Its a great concept, and if the right people were in place would have been a good experience. Unfortunately, I don’t feel the right people were in place because we were told numerous delivery times, in fact 5 different times over the course of two days, and when the furniture did arrive, we experienced this issue. I feel like we were told what we wanted to hear until we paid the down payment and signed the contracts and then everything after that has been a controversy to make happen from the closing on forward. If we were not in the situation we are in, it would be easy to ask for our money back and go elsewhere but after thinking about what happened, as a business owner, I would want to know about these types of experiences if my clients were having them. So I’m going to forward this letter and statement to everyone I can in the Aarons cooperate offices as well as the executives that doesn’t hear about these types of situations so maybe they can “fix” this way of handling business and no one else will be treated the way my family was treated during this delivery.
I also want to give the other Aarons employee, the one who didn’t cause the damage, a great big “that a boy”, because during this entire incident, his integrity never wavered. This is type employee I myself would want representing my company to the public. It’s people like this that will keep your clients returning to do business with you. He never made any excuses or accusations, or lied about what the truth really was. Great Job in my eyes.
The fact is accidents happen in all industries, when they do the important thing is how they are handled. After this, its very hard to trust the integrity of Aarons leasing, but I know sometimes its not the company as much as it is a few wrong people in the wrong positions that makes everyone look bad. I hope this letter falls on the appropriate eyes, and faith can be restored in your company. We are only one family in hundreds or thousands you serve each year, but I’m sure others have probably felt this same way. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and hopefully our relationship will do nothing but grow from this point on.
I’m expecting that these issues will be resolved in our new home and also I’m attaching photos of the damaged furniture as well as damaged property. I will do whatever is necessary to have these issues handled but wanted to give aarons the opportunity to make it right first. Thank you for your time.

The Nail Family.


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Travie Nail (205)253-6231


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Kathy Nail (205)370-9143


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Witness to the entire incident


October 23, 2010


To whom it may concern;

Although I am starting to feel as know one at Aaron’s Leasing is concerned, I would like to let you know of my experience on October 22, 2010.

On October 16, 2010, I sent a letter to Aarons regional manager “Tremayne” as well as Aarons complaint department concerning my experiencing during purchasing merchandise from the Hoover, Alabama location. These are the actions that followed:

On October 20, 2010, I called the store and spoke to “Jason”, who stated his position to be the general manager of the location, and scheduled him to come out on October 22, 2010 and looked at the damaged merchandise as well as the damaged hardwood flooring in my home. He stated he really wasn’t sure what had transpired with the transaction because “Tremayne” wouldn’t discuss anything with him about the situation. I proceeded to fill him in on the situation and he agreed to come out and inspect and get the problems handled.

On October 22, 2010, “Jason” met with my wife at our home to inspect and determined once again as “Tremayne” did earlier, it was a problem that Aarons accepted responsibility for and would get taken care of right away. After speaking with my wife, she didn’t receive a timeline on the repairs and was only told that we as the clients would need to retrieve 3 estimates to get the repairs made and forward them to him at Aarons. Once I heard of this I contacted “Jason” to find out exactly what needed to be done and a timeline on the repairs. At this time I was told the regional manager “Wally” wanted to come out and inspect the issue once again, for the 3rd time, and then I was placed on the phone with “Wally”. Earlier I was told “Tremayne” was the regional manager and he also confirmed this during our conversation on October 16, 2010.

“Wally” set up a appointment with me at 1:00 p.m. at our home on that day October 22, 2010. I took off work to meet “Wally” at the residence and I arrived at approximately 12:35 p.m. for the appointment. After waiting at the residence for over 3 hours, I called the store to speak to “Wally” and he acted as if he forgot the appointment and would arrive within 10 minutes. Approximately 45 minutes later “Wally” arrived. I found “Wally” at my next door neighbors home leaving a message for them in their front door. I brought “Wally” into my home and showed him the damage to the floor and merchandise. From the beginning, “Wally” immediately began down playing the damage as if it wasn’t a big deal. I then explained to “Wally” I was in a lease that was ending at the end of the month and this issue could cost me a $2600.00 deposit that I had invested in the property. “Wally” then asked me how much cash would make this issue go away. I explained to “Wally” it would take the amount of cash needed to hire someone to fix the problem and get the merchandise repaired to good standing. “Wally” then explained he would have to get 3 estimates and the floor would be repaired and as far as the merchandise, “Wally” stated “the merchandise is not a problem, I will replace all the damaged merchandise with new merchandise and when would be a good time?”. I explained to “Wally” we were leasing a home just down the road and they could deliver the new merchandise there and then pick up the damaged merchandise here, he stated “that would work out fine”. I Reiter rated to “Wally” the importance of the timeline and he said it wouldn’t be a problem. “Wally” stated he would be in contact with me on October 23, 2010 and he left.

On October 22, 2010, at approximately 6:25 p.m., I heard a loud knock at the door to my residence and upon opening the door, I was faced with “Wally” along with two other Aarons employees. “Wally” and the employees then entered my home and I stopped them in my front foyer. I asked “Wally” why they were there and what was going on? He stated “since your not happy with your merchandise, I’m here to pick it up and I will deliver the new furniture tomorrow.” I asked “Wally” why this wasn’t discussed in the earlier meeting and what had changed from the earlier agreement. “Wally” started speaking louder and louder demanding I turned the furniture over to him. I explained to “Wally” that this new situation wasn’t making any sense to me and we weren’t prepared for any of this or even knew anything about it per our conversation earlier. “Wally” then stated he reserved the right to terminate any contract he wanted too if he deemed it necessary. I then told “Wally” I wasn’t turning any furniture over to anyone until I spoke to his supervisor. “Wally” began getting louder and more demanding. My children, who were present, began crying as well as my wife. No one understood exactly what was taking place. My nephew began to speak up and was immediately stopped by “Wally” and told by verbal abuse, that he had no say so in the matter and wasn’t going to be involved in the conversation. After this display of verbal abuse, I asked “Wally” and the other Aarons employees to leave my home. The 2 other employees immediately walked out the door when I opened the door but “Wally” had to be asked 3 more times and then threatened by me to call Vestavia Police Department before he would leave my home. “Wally” then began verbally abusing myself and family to the point my wife took the children to our vehicle and left scared and crying. He stated repeatedly, this situation would be handled his way. I then told him to leave my property once again and had to ask the other employees to move their Aarons truck out of my driveway because they wasn’t wanting to let my family leave our home. Almost to the point of holding them against their will. They were terrified and crying, and at this point I called Vestavia Police Department.

“Wally” continued to stand in the front of my home on the telephone with the other employees until the police department arrived. The police arrived and talked to “Wally” for a moment and then came into my home. I explained to them exactly what took place and showed them the contracts that were signed and approved by “Tremayne” earlier in the week. The police officer stated that this would be a civil matter and Aarons didn’t have any right to be harassing me at my home like this. I asked the officer to ask “Wally” to leave and if he didn’t that I would press trespassing charges against them. The officer agreed and did so. “Wally” and the other employees finally left my residence. At this point I thought the incident was over, so I thought.

I then began getting phone calls from my landlord stating “Wally” continued contacting him multiple times trying to let “Wally” discuss the damaged floor with him instead of myself, my landlord told him that I was responsible for the home and that he would have to deal with me. “Wally” then told my landlord a story about me selling the home and getting the floors redone and completely confused my landlord to the point the had to call me to see what was going on. I explained what happened to my landlord and then he stated that Aarons would need to deal with myself to get the situation handled and that he didn’t want to be involved unless Aarons wouldn’t repair the damage.

I feel, once again, as Aarons integrity and professionalism is challenged. I feel my family and I have suffered verbal abuse and mental suffering from this situation. I feel Aarons has used intimidation tactics to try and take advantage of my family and I. My children actually felt as if there was going to be a physical confrontation at our home if we didn’t surrender the furniture at that time. I still, at this time, stand to loose a substantial deposit if the damage is not repaired. I feel like “Wally” has abused his privilege with Aarons, by obtaining private information from my file and calling friends, family, or business acquaintances of mine trying to undermine my integrity and find a way to get out of doing what is right. I feel like I’m given the “run around” because no one at Aarons will give me any information to contact any of their supervisors. I have been misled on who exactly holds what position at Aarons and who I need to contact to get this situation handled. As a consumer, this is the worst position one could find themselves in, being taken advantage of by “big business” and not being able to get to the right departments to get it handled properly. I believe Aarons should have a telephone # consumers can contact if they feel something is wrong and can’t get answers from their local store.

I am only one of hundreds or even thousands of consumers Aarons deal with on a daily basis. I know if Aarons have treated my family in this manner, there are many more out there. Probably having the same luck getting in touch with the correct department to get something handled as I am. I will not stop until this matter is brought into the public spotlight. I am going to contact the local news companies, Aarons executives, and lawyers needed to get this situation resolved. It is a shame that Aarons would use these tactics to take advantage of families, and would stand behind the measures these “regional managers” will take in order to get things done “their way”. I was told by the regional manager “Wally” that he could do what he wanted and their was nothing that could be done about it. I am here to prove to “Wally” and Aarons that is not the case. I will fight through the legal system until the right judgment is made in the situation. There were many, many things not handled properly during this transaction and I will not stop until this is brought into the light. I feel as if these managers are used to dealing with consumers they can intimidate and abuse and I, nor my family, will accept being treated like this. I will not stop until my letters are broadcasted all over the media and even the courtrooms if need be. It is really a shame that a faulty delivery can be turned into a situation of this proportion. Thank you for your time!


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Travie Nail


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Kathy Nail


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Witness to events on October 22, 2010