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Carlsbad man questions RV consignment business

Posted at 9:04 AM, Jun 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-06 12:21:11-04

Team 10 was able to get results for a Carlsbad man who said he gave his RV to a North County business to rent out on consignment.

Mike Dennis and his then-wife bought the RV in 2005. They loved taking his boys on trips.

"We went to seven different states, seven or eight different states," Dennis said. "RV was great. We had a great time with it."

When he and his wife decided to get a divorce, they also decided to rent out the RV.

Dennis found RV Rent in Vista, and he signed a contract that said he and the company would split the profits when it was rented out. Dennis said he started to notice incomplete invoices and what he thought were expensive charges to maintain the RV.

"They had an open checkbook with the RV on repairs, and I was kind of concerned about it," Dennis said.

He wanted out of the deal, but according to the contract, owners needed to give six months' notice to get their RV back.

Dennis said he did that, and he showed Team 10 an email from August asking to pull his RV from the business. Dennis said he did not receive a response.

He said months later when he went to the business, he "got the runaround."

Team 10 found Dennis was not the only one. There were several civil cases against RV Rent and more than 20 reviews from dissatisfied customers.

However, the Better Business Bureau gives them an A+ rating.

Team 10 went to the Vista business and spoke with RV Rent co-owner Pattie Cobb. When asked about the email from Dennis asking for his RV back, Cobb said they never received it.

"I did not know there was notice given," Cobb said.

She said the email was addressed to Ana, their office manager, who was terminated in February.

Cobb, who owns RV Rent with her husband Mike, then showed Team 10 an email from May saying Dennis wanted to go "month to month."

Dennis said that was because the business continued to rent his RV while he tried to get answers on what he considered questionable charges. He said he was trying to work with them.

Cobb said Dennis would get the RV back.

Late Monday afternoon, the Dennis's told Team 10 that RV Rent was working with them.

The company decided to give the RV back. Initially, the Dennis's told Team 10 the company was first going to make needed repairs, and they should receive their RV back within the month. The Dennis's decided to take the RV as is and put the situation behind them.

RV Rent stands by their charges and their contract. In an email to Team 10, Pattie Cobb wrote that it was their "desire to conclude this matter fairly and amicably."

She said RV Rent was a "long established San Diego company conducting normal business following the Consignment contract and long established fair and equitable business procedures."

Cobb said the situation was further complicated because of the divorce between Mr. and Mrs. Dennis. Both sides admitted there were gaps in their communication.