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What is Tempoe, LLC?
Tempoe, LLC is a company that offers leasing options to consumers with poor or nonexistent credit. Formerly named Why Not Lease It, the company was founded in Manchester, NH in 2009. 1 They have their own collection branch that is often referred to as “09 Tempoe.”
Tempoe offers no-credit-required leases with a 5-month minimum term through their retail partners. 2 The following are some products they offer financing for:
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Home appliances
- Mattresses
If you fail to make your scheduled payments, Tempoe’s collection branch will pursue payments from you.
Who does Tempoe, LLC collect for?
Tempoe, LLC performs first-party collections, meaning that the company has its own collection division for pursuing payments from their own customers. They don’t collect debts on behalf of other companies (a practice known as third-party collection).
If you see a collection account from Tempoe on your credit report, it means they’re trying to collect payment for an overdue bill you have with them (or that they think you have).
Is Tempoe, LLC a scam?
No, Tempoe, LLC isn’t a scam. However, they’ve received many complaints about billing or collection issues, and they’ve faced litigation for violating consumer rights in the past. 3 4
Specifically, many consumers have signed up for lease agreements with Tempoe, LLC with the impression that they were signing up for product financing or entering into rent-to-own agreements. 3 Although the company claims that their consumer agreements clearly state their ownership rights over leased products, you’re not alone if you feel that you’ve been tricked.
What’s more, scammers may pretend to represent Tempoe, LLC when contacting you. For this reason, it’s important to always verify the debts you’re contacted about before making any payments. You can do so by contacting Tempoe, LLC directly using their online form or the contact information below.
Understand your rights
Because Tempoe, LLC is a first-party debt collector (meaning they collect debts on their own behalf), they don’t have to abide by the same laws that apply to third-party debt collection agencies (which collect debts for other companies and individuals).
Specifically, Tempoe, LLC isn’t required to adhere to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which means that (depending on the laws in your state) there may be fewer restrictions on how and when they can contact you.
However, you still have several options for fighting Tempoe, LLC and getting the collection account off your credit report, which we’ll describe below.
Beware of the statute of limitations on debt
Depending on how long it’s been since you failed to repay Tempoe, LLC, it’s possible that your debt is old enough that it’s passed the statute of limitations. This is a legal limit on how long Tempoe, LLC can sue you over the debt. After this period passes, it’s known as time-barred debt.
The statute of limitations on most debts is between 3 and 6 years, but the exact amount of time depends on several factors, including the state you live in and the type of debt that it is.
To find the statute of limitations on your debt, check your state attorney general’s website and email their office if the information you’re looking for isn’t available online.
How to remove Tempoe, LLC from your credit report
If your credit score is suffering as a result of Tempoe, LLC debt, there are two ways to recover:
1. Dispute the debt
If you think the debt that Tempoe, LLC is trying to collect isn’t yours, dispute the item on your credit report. You can also dispute it if it’s older than 7 years (measured from the date of your first missed payment)—by law, collection accounts are supposed to fall off your credit report by then.
To dispute a debt for free, send a credit dispute letter to the credit bureaus that are showing Tempoe, LLC on your credit report. You should also send a dispute letter to Tempoe, LLC.
To find out which credit bureaus you need to send the letter to, request your free credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com. If they don’t respond to your dispute within 30–45 days, then they’re legally obligated to remove the item from your credit report.
2. Negotiate with Tempoe, LLC
Unfortunately, if the debt is legitimate and it’s less than 7 years old, removing Tempoe, LLC from your credit report will be very difficult (although not impossible).
Your best move at this point is to simply pay the debt. Newer credit scoring models, such as FICO 9 and VantageScore 3.0, ignore paid-off collection accounts, which means paying off your collection will boost your credit score even if you can’t remove the item from your credit report.
However, when you pay, there are two negotiation strategies you can try as a last-ditch attempt to remove Tempoe, LLC from your report:
- Pay for delete: You might be able to convince Tempoe, LLC to remove the negative mark in exchange for paying off the debt. You can open these negotiations by sending them a pay-for-delete letter.
- Goodwill deletion: This is an alternate strategy you can try after paying your debt. Once the account is paid off, you can send Tempoe, LLC a goodwill letter template asking them to empathize with your situation and remove the mark from your credit report as an act of kindness.
How to file a complaint against Tempoe, LLC
If you’re unhappy with how Tempoe, LLC is treating you, then you can file a complaint on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website.
However, bear in mind that the BBB is a private organization that has no affiliation with the US government. The BBB will forward your complaint to Tempoe, LLC, but there’s no guarantee that Tempoe, LLC will address it in a satisfactory manner.
Alternatively, if Tempoe, LLC has done something illegal, then you can report them to the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or your state attorney general.
Can I sue Tempoe, LLC for harassment?
No, you can’t sue Tempoe, LLC for harassment. You may have heard that you can sue debt collectors for harassing you, but this doesn’t apply to Tempoe, LLC since they’re a first-party debt collector and they’re not required to abide by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
However, you may be able to sue Tempoe, LLC if they violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act when calling you. You may also be able to press charges if a representative threatens you.
How to stop Tempoe, LLC from calling you
Tempoe, LLC will contact you by whatever means they see fit if they believe you have an unsettled debt, and they won’t stop unless you pay the debt or reach an agreement with them.
Ordinarily, debt collection agencies have to stop calling you if you send them a debt verification letter. However, Tempoe, LLC isn’t obligated to do so because they’re a first-party debt collector—they collect their own debts, not debts owed to other companies. This means that many of the normal laws on debt collection, such as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), don’t apply to them.
Nevertheless, you can try these approaches to get them to stop calling you:
- Send them a letter: Although this isn’t guaranteed to work, you can try sending Tempoe, LLC a letter asking them to stop calling you and only communicate with you in writing. They may be more likely to agree to your request if you previously had a good relationship with them.
- Block their calls: You can set up a call-blocking service by contacting your phone service provider or downloading a blocking app onto your mobile phone. However, bear in mind that this comes with risks—for example, they may be more inclined to sue you over the debt.
Note that, depending on where you live, it’s possible that stricter laws actually do apply to Tempoe, LLC. Several states have their own laws (often modeled off of the FDCPA) that place more stringent restrictions on first-party debt collectors. Look up your local legislation and consider consulting with an attorney to learn more.
