Lucid charged me $585 for “damages” 2 weeks after I returned my lease — DFPI complaint filed

[Lemans3427]

I just filed a complaint with the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) against Lucid Financial Services and their collection agency over a bogus “excess wear & tear” charge.

Here’s what happened:

• Lucid contacted me in May 2025 to schedule my lease-end inspection.
• I returned my Lucid Air on July 30, 2025, at a Lucid-scheduled appointment. Their rep inspected it, signed the turn-in receipt, took the keys, and marked no damages.
• Two weeks later, Lucid billed me $785 for “wear and tear.” They later waived $200 for a wheel, but still want $585.
• I recently learned the so-called “final inspection” was actually done by a third-party on August 12 — 13 days after Lucid took possession of the car. I was never told about it, never invited, and obviously had no control over the vehicle during that time.
• I faxed my dispute letter and evidence three times (with transmission receipts), but the collection agency keeps claiming they never got them and continues to pursue the balance.

So I filed with the DFPI, detailing the dates, documents, and the August 12 inspection timeline. I also plan to submit complaints to the CFPB, California AG, and BBB (via Bank of America – Lucid Financial Services).

Posting this in case anyone else leased through Lucid Financial Services — check your end-of-lease documents carefully. A “third-party inspection” weeks later should not override a clean turn-in inspection.

 

[borski]

I just filed a complaint with the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) against Lucid Financial Services and their collection agency over a bogus “excess wear & tear” charge.

Here’s what happened:

• Lucid contacted me in May 2025 to schedule my lease-end inspection.
• I returned my Lucid Air on July 30, 2025, at a Lucid-scheduled appointment. Their rep inspected it, signed the turn-in receipt, took the keys, and marked no damages.
• Two weeks later, Lucid billed me $785 for “wear and tear.” They later waived $200 for a wheel, but still want $585.
• I recently learned the so-called “final inspection” was actually done by a third-party on August 12 — 13 days after Lucid took possession of the car. I was never told about it, never invited, and obviously had no control over the vehicle during that time.
• I faxed my dispute letter and evidence three times (with transmission receipts), but the collection agency keeps claiming they never got them and continues to pursue the balance.

So I filed with the DFPI, detailing the dates, documents, and the August 12 inspection timeline. I also plan to submit complaints to the CFPB, California AG, and BBB (via Bank of America – Lucid Financial Services).

Posting this in case anyone else leased through Lucid Financial Services — check your end-of-lease documents carefully. A “third-party inspection” weeks later should not override a clean turn-in inspection.

Please see here:
Post in thread 'Lease return excess wear & tear'
https://lucidowners.com/threads/lease-return-excess-wear-tear.12604/post-300245

 

[DOBrien]

Don't hold your breath, unless the complaint forces them. I've had complaints in for things that were Lucid's fault... Lucid Corporate refuses to respond. All I get is "nice talk" from the "customer service" line who agrees with me, promises to escalate to management, who never responds.

 

[borski]

Don't hold your breath, unless the complaint forces them. I've had complaints in for things that were Lucid's fault... Lucid Corporate refuses to respond. All I get is "nice talk" from the "customer service" line who agrees with me, promises to escalate to management, who never responds.

Please do not post the same thing multiple times on multiple threads. It is against the guidelines.

Moreover, please stay on topic. This thread is about lease turn-in, which is not what you’re talking about.

Future posts that are off-topic will be deleted. If you’d like to make your own post, please do, but keep it to its own thread or a related one, and do not post multiple times about the same thing.

Thanks

 

[WeighingGravity]

Please do not post the same thing multiple times on multiple threads. It is against the guidelines.

Moreover, please stay on topic. This thread is about lease turn-in, which is not what you’re talking about.

Future posts that are off-topic will be deleted. If you’d like to make your own post, please do, but keep it to its own thread or a related one, and do not post multiple times about the same thing.

Thanks

Respectfully: Would you clamp down on someone who said "Lucid customer service is great!" for the 15th time on a thread where someone is complaining about service, so technically it's not a customer service issue and they're thus off-topic? It seems that happens all the time on here.

 

[socktucker]

what were the damages?

 

[borski]

Respectfully: Would you clamp down on someone who said "Lucid customer service is great!" for the 15th time on a thread where someone is complaining about service, so technically it's not a customer service issue and they're thus off-topic? It seems that happens all the time on here.

I try to. If I don’t, report it if it’s off topic and one of the mods will. I didn’t post this because it was a negative comment, but because it was off topic. As I mentioned, @DOBrien is perfectly welcome to post it as its own thread, or on a related one.

We don’t want anything being posted over and over again on multiple threads, especially if unrelated.

But none of us are perfect, myself wholly included.

 

[merveille07]

Respectfully: Would you clamp down on someone who said "Lucid customer service is great!" for the 15th time on a thread where someone is complaining about service, so technically it's not a customer service issue and they're thus off-topic? It seems that happens all the time on here.

Not to take away your point, but experience suggest what you are saying is unlikely. None keep posting their positive experience on multiple threads, but people tend to do so if negative.

 

[borski]

Not to take away your point, but experience suggest what you are saying is unlikely. None keep posting their positive experience on multiple threads, but people tend to do so if negative.

It makes sense, at a high level, because people want to get attention for their issues, but rarely want to be seen as braggarts. Literally human nature.

Doesn’t make me mad or anything; it’s just something we have to manage in order to keep this a useful place.

 

[socktucker]

Respectfully: Would you clamp down on someone who said "Lucid customer service is great!" for the 15th time on a thread where someone is complaining about service, so technically it's not a customer service issue and they're thus off-topic? It seems that happens all the time on here.

yeah they do, even stuff DIY fixes are only allowed one thread per, but you can link to the thread in relevant conversations

 

[borski]

yeah they do, even stuff DIY fixes are only allowed one thread per, but you can link to the thread in relevant conversations

All - while this is an interesting discussion, as before, please make a new topic if you’d like to discuss it further. This thread is about a specific owner’s lease return and the damages therein. (I’ll admit to getting engaged, too)

Let’s please stay on-topic.

 

[socktucker]

I'm interested in knowing what the damages are. There's lots of things it could be. I think the scratched underbody thing was insane, but if there was a torn cushion or idk, a couple damaged wheels that were missed, I could see that being an issue.

...but its also Bank of America so it could just be that they had a quota to hit.

 

[Pragmatic]

...but its also Bank of America so it could just be that they had a quota to hit.

I doubt BoA has a quota to hit. More likely machine examination of a scan of the car (as Hertz rent-a-car is doing) and the the program has been set with too stringent flagging of damage.

 

[socktucker]

I doubt BoA has a quota to hit

of course they do!

 

[gaskiller]

Respectfully: Would you clamp down on someone who said "Lucid customer service is great!" for the 15th time on a thread where someone is complaining about service, so technically it's not a customer service issue and they're thus off-topic? It seems that happens all the time on here.

There is a difference…with all due respect.