Question:
Dear Steve,
So, I was reading a situation someone was having with Lakeview Law Group on your site and all of the legalese on the agreement.
I called Lakeview to discuss my case and get information about what has been paid off and is still pending.
I have been paying since Nov 2020, and only two accounts have been settled, paying on one account and nothing on two other accounts for a total of 5 accounts.
I asked them about those two accounts, and they said they hadn’t heard back from those creditors.
I had spoken to those creditors, and they advised me they had not heard from Lakeview. Ok, so that may be possible.
My biggest concern is all the fees being charged to work on my case. So I pay them a certain amount of money each month. With those funds, they charge me $10 per transaction, a 15% service fee per transaction. There have been a total of 19 transactions on my case.
I did the math, and I feel humiliated and angry. I have put in over $5,640, and the fees cost me $2,160.30!!!
I moved after beginning this program, and I can’t find my contract. However, I remember the advisor stating that I could cancel anytime. So my question is, Can I cancel my contract?
Richy
Answer:
Dear Richy,
You are certainly not alone in asking questions about Lakeview Law Group.
I think several issues are going on here, and an orderly review and some clear contemplation would be helpful before making a quick decision.
I’m a big fan of first talking to any company you are working with to get some straight answers to your questions and concerns.
An excellent company will professionally address your questions and provide exceptional customer service. Any company’s willingness to deal with your questions and concerns can indicate how much any company values you are a client.
A slow, poor, or sloppy response can be a clue about how much any company either doesn’t respect their clients or has internal organizational issues.
Ask Lakeview Law Group for a copy of your client agreement. I would hope they can send it to you quickly, without delay. They have it on file, so their response to your request can inform your decision about what you will ultimately do.
The issue about the fees is a bit nuanced. I’m confident the prices are laid out in the client agreement. The debt relief agreements I’ve seen across the industry disclose the fees. They might be buried in a multipage legalese document that people are often rushed through. But they are there.
I understand how it feels like you are getting ripped off in fees. But from a third-party point of view, if the costs are disclosed in the agreement you signed when you voluntarily became a client of the company, then that’s a weaker position.
The more significant issue from your question is the lack of clarity on what is happening with your account. They say they’ve contacted your creditors, and the creditors say they have not.
Poor performance is something any company has control over. That is on the company.
That is an issue to hang a decision about canceling. Disclosed fees in a client agreement you agreed to and signed are a non-starter from a pissed-off point of view.
The lesson to be learned in all consumer contracts for service are to read the agreements thoroughly and ask all the questions you have before signing. You will commonly find a statement that whatever the salesperson told you does not apply. The written agreement is the actual terms.
Can you cancel a contract at any time? Sure. But the best reason to cancel an agreement would be if it made sense and left you in a better position. The worst reason to cancel would be simply because you are pissed off.
One reason to cancel might be if you find a Chapter 7 bankruptcy could have eliminated all your debt in less than 120 days for about $2,000. But talk to a local bankruptcy attorney and find out what bankruptcy would mean for you.
For an orderly way to escalate any customer service issue with any debt relief company, read How to Get Your Money Back From a Debt Relief Company if You Feel Like You’ve Been Scammed.
This is a fair process to give the company a chance to respond and see if their customer service can shine. It will also give you more data to make a logical decision rather than an emotional one.
You are not alone. I'm here to help. There is no need to suffer in silence. We can get through this. Tomorrow can be better than today. Don't give up.
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Asked question about Lakeview Law Group.
Richy, thank you for your question. I answered it and posted my reply. Please update me on what you decide to do in the comment section.