auto leasing company failed to report my on-time payments

[Anonymous]

I am currently coming off a 3-year auto lease. I got the lease by putting $ down, due to my poor credit at the time. Yes i know its like throwing money away, but I had to get into a lease asap. Now here it is 3 yrs later, my credit has jumped greatly through other areas. And as I am applying for a new lease with another institution, they pointed out that i have ZERO auto history on either of my credit reports. I know its my own negligence for not catching this ahead of time. And I didnt even think or know to ask at beginnning of lease 3 yrs ago if they reported to credit agencies. But here I am 3 yrs later, after 3 yrs of on-time car payments, with nothing to show for it. Is there a way i can legally go back and make the car leasing agency report my rating/payments to all 3 agencies?

[Anonymous]

You said "either" of your CRs, but did you yourself check them and did you check all 3?

You could contact the leasing company and see whether they would report it paid as agreed to one or more of the CRAs; however, they are under no obligation to do it so you need to ask accordingly--with honey, not vinegar.

[Anonymous]

Spoke to them this am. Since they do their leases in-house, and not through a bank, they do not report to credit agencies, and apparently are know for NOT disclosing this upfront. Such is life. However, I asked them for a "rating", which they are faxing to me. While it wont have same affect as 3 solid years of auto payments, its a step in right direction and i can share this "rating letter" with new potential leasing companies.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely, the rating letter should be enough to get you in the door.

Backtracking for a moment, have you considered buying a car rather than leasing again? You're likely to get a better interest rate and you'll own the vehicle outright once it's PIF.

[Anonymous]

Did you happen to pay by check. If you did maybe you could round them all up , show them to the person who's saying you have no car payment history and if necessary, let him copy the front and back of them. Might help, might not.