9-28-02
Feature
Minnesota Rental Purchase Act
Interesting Factoid...Dealers are REQUIRED to offer liability damage waiver. The fee may not exceed 10% of the scheduled payment...more

9-24-02
Rent-Way Hires Salomon Smith Barney
Rent-Way announced it is retaining investment giant Salomon Smith Barney, a Citigroup company, as a 'Financial Advisor' to guide Rent-Way through its efforts to refinance current debt...more

Chairman Oxley Statement on HR1701 Passage
Snippet: “Rent-to-own merchants provide an invaluable service to an often underserved segment of the population..."...more

HP and BDI-Laguna to Provide PCs and Printers to Rent-to-Own Market
PALO ALTO, Calif. (PR)
HP and BDI-Laguna today announced an agreement to provide consumer technology products to the rent-to-own retail market...more

9-28-02
New Feature
Maryland Rental-Purchase Agreement Act
Interesting Factoid...At the time of repossession you must deliver a written statement to the customer of all reinstatement rights and the last date on which the agreement may be reinstated...more

9-27-02
New Feature
Illinois Rental-Purchase Act
Interesting Factoid...The only requirement for price tags is a tag disclosing the amount to be paid to acquire ownership of the merchandise...more

9-27-02
New Feature
New Mexico Rental-Purchase Agreement Act
Interesting Factoid...Agreements must be made available to consumers in each language used in any advertisement
NOTE: Advertisement is defined as "...a commercial message in any medium that solicits a consumer to enter a rental-purchase agreement;"...more

NEW
Audio Web-Cast of HR1701 Opening Statements
According to the Rule, each side had 5 minutes to make opening statements. Representative Spencer Bachus (R-AL) spoke in support of HR1701, Maxine Waters (D-CA) spoke in opposition. Follow this link to listen to the audio of those opening statements...more

hrmagazine
From the August Issue of HR Magazine
The most complete, balanced, and thoughtful article written about Rent a Centers battle with gender discrimination. Complete history of the issue, interviews with Rent a Center execs, plaintiffs...more

New Feature
Kentucky Rental Purchase Statute
Interesting Factoid..."Information required to be disclosed may be given in the form of estimates and shall be identified as such when the lessor does not know the exact information."...more

New Feature
Indiana Rental-Purchase Act
Interesting factoid...The Act states that the 'administrator' may..."Establish programs for the education of consumers with respect to rental purchase agreement practices and problems"
Feature includes printable version, clickable table of contents, factoids...more

Ten Years Comes Down to Ten Seconds
A common theme from the Republican side of the isle during what was at times a nasty debate,
....it's been ten years, let's get on with it....With that, after hours of name calling from Maxine Waters and calm logic from Spencer Bachus, the votes were finally cast and the Speaker reported the victory. Follow this link for the audio announcement...more

New Feature
Arkansas Rental Purchase Act
Interesting factoid...Customer is entitled to no more than 3 re-instatements during any single agreement
Feature includes printable version, clickable table of contents, factoids...more

New Feature
California: Karnette Rental-Purchase Act
Interesting factoid...If a customer has paid 50% of rental payments, and his/her income is reduced by 25% due to several factors, the dealer must reduce the rental payment by the same percentage up to 50%
Feature includes printable version, clickable table of contents, factoids...more

Two Minute Warning
In the life of every piece of legislation that enters the House of Representatives, there is a two minute warning...this is it. The next 18 hours will be the culmination of decades of effort by countless industry workhorses. Following is a summary of the next 18 hours in the life of HR1701...more

Sad Day For The Cheese State
Wisconsin Attorney General Jim Doyle, possibly the most rabid anti rent-to-own AG in the nation, managed to convince 39% of Wisconsin Democrats to pull his lever during Tuesdays gubernatorial primary...more

West Virginia Consumer Goods Rental Protection Act
Interesting Factoid...
...The "Total of Payments" may not exceed 240% of the retail value...
This Feature includes clickable table of contents, printable version, factoids. NOTE: The WV statute is very large, be patientIncludes printable version, clickable table of contents, factoids...more

Rule Regarding HR1701
Following is the Rule as reported by the Rules Committee regarding debate of HR1701, the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act. These rules must be voted on by the full house prior to debate of HR1701
Includes summary of amendments to be offered by Maxine Waters and John Lafalce...more

hot
HR1701 Full House Debate/Vote Wednesday 9-17
The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 1701, on Wednesday, September 18, 2002.  The Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, September 17, 2002, at 5:30 p.m. to consider...more

Missouri Rental Dealers Association Reports Record Attendance
MRDA, Missouri Rental Dealers Association, held their annual conference and trade show Tuesday and Wednesday at Tan-Tara resort on Lake of the Ozarks...more

New Feature
Alaska  State RTO Statute
Interesting Factoid...
Alaska does not require Yellow Page ads to meet 'Advertisement' disclosure requirements.
This Feature includes clickable table of contents, printable version, factoids...more

Alliance Computing Technologies Signs Exclusive Deal With Dell
Sources tell RTO Online that Alliance Computing Technologies will announce an exclusive deal to distribute Dell computer systems to the Rent to Own Industry...more

HR1701 Squeaks Through Judiciary
HR1701, the Rental Purchase Agreement Act took another step towards a full house vote. On  Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee voted 14-12 to send the bill to the floor. While this milestone is a welcome development, getting 14 yeas on a committee with 21 Republicans is hardly a ringing endorsement and may signal a tough fight ahead on purely partisan grounds. Article includes vote breakdown by member...more

Rent Way's DPI Signs Herschel Walker
DPI Teleconnect, LLC today announced that it has entered into an exclusive relationship with Herschel Walker...more

Wal Mart introduces $199 computers...
What does the future hold for Rent to Own PC's?
One of the reasons Rent to Own is so successful, is that it offers sub-prime consumers access to merchandise unavailable to them in their current circumstance with no debt. History proves that, as a products retail price falls, demand for that product by RTO consumers falls as well. 10 years ago, VCR's were a big item. Today, when a consumer can buy a VCR at K-mart for $39, they are an add-on at best. DVD players are headed in the same direction...more

Wag the Dog
Cruise missiles are great distractions. Bill Clinton proved that. Fortunately, Wisconsin Attorney General Jim Doyle doesn't have the luxury of distracting the press with long range ordinance. What's a gubernatorial hopeful being hounded by the press for illegal campaigning to do? Answer...do what you do best, sue someone...more

Ohio Rental Dealers Fall Conference
The Ohio Rental Dealers Association (ORDA) fall conference will be held September 17th and 18th, 2002 at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Columbus, Ohio.

All due respect to Sam...Wal Mart is an amateur at customer service
Wal Mart is universally applauded for their focus on customer service. With all due respect to Sam, ...Wal Mart, on its best day, can't match the level of service provided by the smallest of Rent to Own dealers...more

Rent Way Stock Continues to Spiral
Investors continue to lose confidence in Rent Way's ability to maintain profitability nearly 2 years after the announcement of 'accounting irregularities'...more

A Successful Rental Equals a Successful Renewal
by Scott Brinker
Successful renewals begin with effective rentals. The time spent at the beginning of the customer relationship can greatly impact your rental success. Here are a few areas of focus to help build the customer relationship and ensure on-time renewals...more

New Feature
Alabama  State RTO Statute
Interesting Factoid...
Alabama does NOT require a grace period for late fees.
Feature includes  clickable table of contents, printable version, factoids...more

Jim Doyle Accused of Campaign Illegalities
Wisconsin Attorney General, gubernatorial candidate, and anti-Rent to Own maven Jim Doyle (also known as 'sue'emtilltheysettle Jim') denied allegations that state employees campaigned for him on state time...more

Aaron Rents to Acquire Sight'n Sound
Aaron Rents has reached agreement in principle to acquire Oklahoma based retailer Sight'n Sound for $12 million cash. Sight'n Sound operates 26 retail locations in Oklahoma and Kansas with annual revenue of $60 million...more

New Featured State Statute
Maine Rental Purchase Practices
Arguably, the most confusing of all state statutes. Features clickable table of contents, printable version, factoids...more

RTO Extra
Rent to Own Ecosystems
An online excel spreadsheet that will allow you to adjust  6 key variables (in bold) and see how each change, no matter how small, affects the outcome in other areas
...more

Aaron Rents Gets $50 Million Financing... Poised for Rapid Expansion
Aaron Rents took another step towards a major expansion with the announcement today of a $50 million private debt placement attractive rates...more

Rent Way Downgraded to Neutral
Rent Way has been downgraded from Outperform to Neutral by SunTrust Robinson Humphrey....SunTrust currently covers 4 of the 5 publicly held RTO companies. Following are the companies covered and the analyst's ratings as of 8-22-02...more

Aaron Rents Names
James L. Cates Senior
Group Vice President
RTO Online asked Mr. Cates, "What is your vision for the future of Aaron Rents"?

James L. Cates
Senior GVP
"Growth...and lots of it"...more

RTO Online Offers Free Chat Rooms for Industry Pro's
Announcing RTO Online Chat. The first live chat room built solely for Rent to Own pro's...more