What happens if you take an item from Rent A Center out of state?

Question

I have been paying on a Big Screen T.V for over a year now, and I moved out of state with it a few months ago. Now the Lamp Bulb went out, and I don't want to have to pay the money to fix it since it is still covered through Rent-A-Center. I am pretty sure they had something in the agreement that I wouldn't take it out of state, but what would they do if I told them that I did? There is another Rent-A-Center here, couldn't they just transfer my stuff and fix it, since I am up-to-date on my payments and have been? Or could I get in trouble?

Answer 1

Call the Rent-A-Center where you are at now and explain the situation.  Surely they will work with you since you are current with payments and being honest about your situation.

Answer 2

Be VERY careful about how you approach this.  There could be all kinds of funny language in that contract. For example, it could say something like the entire balance on the contract would become due immediately if you take the item out of state.

So, see if you can find the contract first and see what it says.  If you can't, consider calling the local Rent A Center, tell them you are thinking of getting a big screen TV, but might have to move out of state.  What would the requirements be?  Obviously, you do not want to explain your situation to them just yet.  Get the info first.  If neither of those ideas work, then call the original Rent A Center in the state where you got the TV.  Tell them you have been offered a job out of state, and you are deciding whether to accept the offer.  If you do, what would happen about the TV?   It might not be too bad.  Maybe all they require is for you to give them your new address.  But make sure.

If it does turn out to be a bad requirement, then you have two choices.  One is to pay for the repair and keep quiet about it.  Just consider it a cost of your move.  The second is to give up on the TV, returning it to Rent A Center.   (I know, I know--you've been paying for over a year.  But you may have to choose which is the least bad of a bunch of bad options.)  

You are right that they SHOULD cut you a break, since you have been paying on time.  But that doesn't mean they are going to do it.  And unless you find out what is in the contract, you won't know whether they have to.

I always advise people to try to avoid the rent-to-own stores, because I have heard far too many horror stories.  But now that you are in one of these contracts, you have to deal with the situation as it is. I wish you very good luck.