Just discovered DVDs I rented 6 MONTHS AGO....what to do?

LegacyUser · 10-06-2010 5:42pm #1

Just looking for peoples advice on the following situation: Ok, 6 months ago I rented five dvds and thought I had brought them back long ago........turns out I hadn`t. I discovered them with a bunch of my own dvds in a box when I was cleaning my flat yesterday and now Im not sure what to do. They have been out *6 months* and I estimate the fine must be around 450 euro at this stage. I am unemployed and already snowed under with debt so there is no way I could possibly pay the fine. The way I see it, my options are as follows:
1-Bring them back and explain the situation. They will most likely demand I pay the fine and I will end up in prison because I cant pay it.
2-Say nothing and hold onto them. Just never go back to that rental shop again. They have not contacted me looking for them, so nothing may come of it. Then again, I worry that if I do this, 3 years later I may get a solicitors letter looking for thousands of euros.....or am I overreacting here?
3-Go in and say I lost the dvds and opt to pay for them instead. Of course if I do this I may end up paying for them and being made to pay the fine AS WELL which I CANNOT possibly pay.

Sugestions? Does anyone have experience in a similar situation? I dont want to draw their attention to me seeing as they havent been in contact but Im worried if I say nothing they will come looking for me at some point and the fine will have grown larger still. I don`t know what to do. I cant get a loan off anyone, Im already over my head in debt I cant pay and with no job there is on way on Earth I can afford this fine. Any advice welcome.

Victor · 10-06-2010 5:57pm

Rental copies of a DVD cost about €50 to buy, so they won't be looking for hundreds of euro for non-return. The bulk of the cost of running a DVD store is the overheads of rent and staff. €4 a night doesn't reflect the cost of the DVD itself.

They aren't your property, you have to return them. If they look for money, see what they are looking for, explain your situation and ask if you can do a deal. Most businesses are pragmatic and are likely to settle for something rather than nothing.

Canard · 10-06-2010 6:15pm

I'm not totally sure but as far as I'm aware, there's a cap on the fines...I may be wrong but I think it's only around a fiver. I found some after about one month and it was only €5.

Mimikyu · 10-06-2010 6:39pm

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dory · 10-06-2010 8:51pm

There's one DVD rental chain that, last I saw, had a big sign saying, 'Owe us money? Rent any DVD and we'll wipe your account clean'. I can't remember which one but I think it's Chartbusters, it's the blue one anyway with the sun beds and internet.

What I would do is walk in, hand them back, walk straight out and never return.

!!! · 10-06-2010 8:51pm

Omg I seriously wouldn't go down to the shop. I'd go for the option of just not going to that shop again! They will more than likely make you pay a fine. It's not as if anyone notices at this stage, but it might bring it to their attention if they look at your account/you go down there!

Count yourself lucky, maybe give them to somebody as a present to balance the karma, haha.

GAAman · 10-06-2010 8:52pm

Hi op, first off dont worry you will make it worse by doing so (said by a true worrier) ok can you say which chain it was? I ask because (and i am sure another boardsie can clarify) but there was a story awhile back that one chain of rental stores were wiping their outstanding fines across all customers in an effort to entice people back, makes sense really.

"We aint gettin that money back, people are not gonna come near the shop if they owe us money, if we wipe the slate clean they will come back and spend more" kinda thing

Check into it, for all you know this could be your chain and you will be grand

Edit as dory said above it seems to be chartbusters

Reesy · 10-06-2010 9:06pm

How about you ring up another branch & ask them what happens if you rent a DVD and it gets lost / stolen? The person will probably tell you what the policy is. Don't give your name, obviously. If the idea scares you, get a friend to do it.

weiland79 · 10-06-2010 9:39pm

!!! wrote: »

Omg I seriously wouldn't go down to the shop. I'd go for the option of just not going to that shop again! They will more than likely make you pay a fine. It's not as if anyone notices at this stage, but it might bring it to their attention if they look at your account/you go down there!

Count yourself lucky, maybe give them to somebody as a present to balance the karma, haha.

Ignore this ^ Something similar happened to me last year it was 2 movies 3 months late. Went down to local Xtravision and explained what happened. We agreed on a 50 euro fine which i was then allowed to pay back at 2 euros everytime i rented another movie. As has been mentioned business are pragmatic and they would prefer to have your custom than not. All will be well my friend.:)

!!! · 10-06-2010 9:56pm

I'm sorry - I'm not a rude person but I don't see the point of bringing this on yourself now. As thoughtful as it would be to return them and pay a fine (you will be given), it would be more thoughtful to think of yourself and save your money which you are short of atm.

I highly doubt if the average members of staff there give a crap if the shop they work at is missing some DVDs.

Look after yourself. It wasn't intentional.

ollie1 · 10-06-2010 9:59pm

Most video shops have a letterbox you can drop them in when shop is closed. So you wouldnt have to talk to anyone just drop them in and run

LegacyUser · 10-06-2010 10:38pm

I work in xtravision- last month someone dropped me back a tape! (i'm not kidding!!)

Xtravision cap their fines at 9euro per film for new release. it's caped at 5euro for older ones
Just drop them back and you'll be fine, stores are just happy to get their stock back.

degrassinoel · 10-06-2010 10:38pm

that or call them up on the phone and ask about the situation without giving any personal details.

littlefriend · 10-06-2010 10:59pm

guest12345 wrote: »

I work in xtravision- last month someone dropped me back a tape! (i'm not kidding!!)

classic!

wylo · 10-06-2010 11:37pm

same thing happened me, i wouldnt have bothered dropping them back only I wanted to keep using the place, was shocked it was only a tenner. They make alot more money off you by coming back on a regular basis to rent more so they dont mind.

Exclamation Marc · 10-06-2010 11:40pm

Bring them back, explain that you completely forgot about them. If the fine is €9 or even more per dvd just agree that you owe them money but say you can't afford to pay it off all in go, and could you pay it back at maybe €4 or €5 every rental/fortnight/month. As others said, they want your custom more than the money, and if you bring them back at least they have their property back.

Don't follow the awful advice of keeping them and never going near them again as it is for lack of a better term "theft". Just go in with your tail between your legs, say that you didn't want to drop and run because you have spent money there before and want to stay with them, you're incredibly sorry, and they will be symapathetic and appreciate that you came back with them because keeping something for 6 months is obviously a mistake more so than you actually viewing the films over and over.

You'll be fine, but bring them back, and act sorry

Bondvillain · 10-06-2010 11:42pm

!!! wrote: »

it would be more thoughtful to think of yourself and save your money which you are short of atm.

Look after yourself. It wasn't intentional.

Jaysus: Keep someone else's property, ignore your obligations, and save yourself money by being dishonest. Now There's a manifesto to live by. Howaya former Taoiseach.

Anyway, OP, you seem like a decent sort. The people who run DVD stores arent ogres, if worst comes to worst, having returned them & apologised for what appears to be a genuine misunderstanding; you will be able to negotiate a figure and a timeframe if they ask you to repay a fine (a fine, I must add, which if they do ask you to pay, will be negligible, and nowhere near the cost of a new rental copy dvd).

Ideally, they'll just be happy to have the property back, (a huge amount of DVD stores income comes from selling off ex rental dvd) and they may well have already written the fine off as an amnesty loss, in which case, in the current economic climate, they'd probably be more happy to welcome you back as a returning potential paying customer than they would be to have a couple of extra movies to throw in the ex-rental bin anyway.

petes · 11-06-2010 8:45am

Also, when they give you the amount you could ask them if they will take half of it and write off the rest. Some of them will.

They would prefer you to be back as customer.

Mimikyu · 11-06-2010 9:58am

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Irish Guitarist · 11-06-2010 12:41pm

This may be a stupid suggestion but maybe you could make an anonymous phone call to the video shop and ask their policy on people returning DVDs after a long time. Maybe find a phone box and call them from there. You could also set up an email address on Yahoo or Gmail solely to contact the shop.

I'm sure the shop will be happy to come to an arrangement anyway. If you had returned the DVDs the shop would more than likely be selling them used for about €4 or €5 now so I don't think they've lost that much money. They'll probably just charge you a few euros.

Edit - I do think you should return the DVDs. Maybe if you contact the shop first though you can walk in calmly without worrying that you're going to have to pay an exorbitant fine or be prosecuted (which you more than likely won't be).

John Lynch Ph.D · 11-06-2010 1:50pm

I think legally if the DVD's are out longer then a month it becomes a criminal matter and therefore would not be subject to the video store's fine protocols.

However, they could technically sue you for lose of earnings which could be calculated at the nightly rental price, so say 5 dvd's at 3 euro each for 6 months.

5 x 3 x 180 = €2,700 plus legal fee's. I'd get saving.

Exclamation Marc · 11-06-2010 3:32pm

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

I think legally if the DVD's are out longer then a month it becomes a criminal matter and therefore would not be subject to the video store's fine protocols.

However, they could technically sue you for lose of earnings which could be calculated at the nightly rental price, so say 5 dvd's at 3 euro each for 6 months.

5 x 3 x 180 = €2,700 plus legal fee's. I'd get saving.

How does DVD's being out over a month become a legal matter?? It's still under the remit of Xtra Vision's rental/fine policy. Ive never once seen a rental agreement that states that when a DVD is unreturned for a over a month it becomes a matter for the police and/or solicitors.

If Xtra Vision brought a customer to court for €2,700 for loss of earnings on 5 dvds that they haven't themselves even tried to reclaim, they'd be laughed all the way out of the court, the most they could claim for is the cost per DVD considering there are no aggravating factors. And even on that, they'd never take the OP to court over 5 DVDs. Loss of earnings is more so associated with claims for when someone is put out of work or unable to work, not when a tiny bit of stock is unreturned.

Get a grip and stop talking nonsense.

Dan Chipowski · 11-06-2010 4:23pm

Two options as I see it;

A) Drop them in, walk out. Never enter the shop again. Job done.

If you wish to keep using the store, then discuss what happened when you drop them back, agree a fine....and tell them you'll pay off a few euro a week.

Either way it's nothing to be worried about. Personally, I'd just drop them back then use a different store.

Victor · 11-06-2010 5:58pm

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

I think legally if the DVD's are out longer then a month it becomes a criminal matter and therefore would not be subject to the video store's fine protocols.

The Garda would be unlikely to become involved unless there was fraud or similar accusations, which isn't the case here.

However, they could technically sue you for lose of earnings which could be calculated at the nightly rental price, so say 5 dvd's at 3 euro each for 6 months.

5 x 3 x 180 = €2,700 plus legal fee's. I'd get saving.

No. Within a few weeks of release, no DVD would be rented every night. In any case, no judge would award such damages against a company that can buy a replacement DVD for €50.

kjl · 11-06-2010 6:00pm

OK OK OK, come on crisis averted. In modern days I don't think xtravision will want to be losing it clientele

Wagon · 11-06-2010 8:00pm

Keep them and use them as coasters. Problem solved.

Victor · 11-06-2010 8:10pm

Wagon wrote: »

Keep them and use them as coasters. Problem solved.

Can we keep it constructive please?

eimsRV · 12-06-2010 12:01am

My ex rented a DVD on my account over a year ago and I didn't know. Came across the DVD box a few months ago, I went to Xtra Vision and explained the situation. The manager just cleared my account and I put a password on it so only I can use it from now on

. I was quite embarrassed but the manager was saying they write off old stock anyway so it was all good and I'm now able to rent movies again!

I would return the dvds, explain the situation to them. Best of luck!

Ostrom · 12-06-2010 3:07pm

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

I think legally if the DVD's are out longer then a month it becomes a criminal matter and therefore would not be subject to the video store's fine protocols.

However, they could technically sue you for lose of earnings which could be calculated at the nightly rental price, so say 5 dvd's at 3 euro each for 6 months.

5 x 3 x 180 = €2,700 plus legal fee's. I'd get saving.

Where did you pull that from?? Complete nonsense. I just returned a dvd I discovered in my office drawer, rented just before christmas. Cant remember the exact fine, but i picked up three for three euro and had enough change of a tenner to buy a nice bottle of orange

flahavaj · 12-06-2010 3:34pm

Dan Chipowski wrote: »

A) Drop them in, walk out. Never enter the shop again. Job done.
.

This is the obvious solution.

Done it myself in the past.

Bondvillain · 12-06-2010 4:29pm

I dont see the problem, and dont see what the issue is with facing up to personal responsibilities.

The OP is clearly feeling bad about the situation, so should just do the right thing. There is no need for them to avoid the store forever, get a solicitor, hide in their attic or enter the witness protection programme. Some folk here are overreacting slightly.

As has been explained by some of the more level headed posters here, the best solution is to return the store's dvds & just tell the store manager what happened.

The dvd store will be A) Glad to get their property back, and

Glad to have a potential paying customer return.

In an absolute worst case scenario, the OP may possibly be given a fine because they held on to the dvds for a long period, (to be honest I sincerely doubt there'll be a fine at all...) but if they DO get one, it will be minuscule, and they'll have plenty of time to pay it if they wish to continue using the store.

At the moment, Video stores need custom more than they need aggro, so just pop in with the dvds and 'splain yourself. Legal action & heavy fines are frankly about as likely as Dinosaurs colonising the moon.

LegacyUser · 14-06-2010 8:45am

I remember when Xtravision used to threaten fines if you didn't rewind the tape to the beginning for the next customer!

As said OP, just drop back the DVD's, the shop are happy to get them back.
They are even happier to get a paying customer return. If you get a fine, it's won't be much, less then €10 per DVD.
If the shop is desperate for customers you'll probably get an amnesty and can rent again with no fines

Xcellor · 14-06-2010 9:58am

I returned a DVD to Xtra vision at xmas time. I specifically remember bringing it in and putting it on the counter. Next time I went in they said they never received it. I told them I had returned it (at this time I was spending around 20 euros a week on rentals lazy xmas hols etc. and always paid overdues before renting again). The person said I would have to speak to the manager and come back another time.

To make sure I wasn't mistaken I checked all the palces it would be. i.e. in DVD player. Either they forgot to scan it and put it back into stock or someone pinched it from the counter.

I have never been back to Xtra vision since then. It was a sh*te film and insulting that they would imagine i would have tried to keep it!!

They lost probably around 200-300 euros a year.

X

Just discovered DVDs I rented 6 MONTHS AGO....what to do?

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