Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - Iowa bill would set price caps, RTO industry prepares vigorous response

February 20, 2008

By Murlin Evans

 

A bill introduced in the Iowa House of Representatives February 19 that would amend the Iowa Rental Purchase Act and cap prices for rent-to-own dealers across the state will not go unchallenged.

 

Iowa District 43 Rep. Mark Smith

APRO Executive Director Bill Keese says H.F 2308 -- introduced by Democratic Rep. Mark Smith -- would be detrimental to the industry because it proposes to change the definition of "cash price" to one of "retail value."

 

Keese says the situation presents an opportunity to educate the Iowa House of Representatives about rent-to-own and why the proposed legislation would be damaging not only to dealers but to their customers as well.

"Essentially it would change the definition of 'cash price'," Keese says. "The Iowa dealers, APRO and the rent-to-own industry as a whole are poised to raise legitimate reasons why this bill isn't beneficial for Iowa."

 

Tom Bernau, owner of Arona Corp., an Aaron Rents franchisee with 23 stores in four states including Iowa, says H.F 2308 would essentially cap prices and set up an "unworkable" situation for dealers.

Bernau, an attorney and Iowa Rental Dealers Association member, is working with Iowa lobbyist Jim Carney and APRO to formulate a response.

In a recent e-mail, Bernau summarizes the essence of H.F. 2308 as follows:

"The legislation proposes to strike 'Cash Price' ("the price at which the lessor... would offer to sell the personal property to the lessee...") and replace it with 'Retail Value' ("the price at which personal property of like type, quality and quantity would change hands between a willing seller and a willing buyer, at retail, for cash, in the particular market area...)."

"Obviously, this would cap our prices  and require us to constantly monitor the market and set prices at whatever the "market" dictated," Bernau says. "A totally unworkable proposal. My response to the Iowa house and senate will make that clear."

 

About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.

For more information, visit www.rtohq.org.




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RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.

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RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO's new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine November-December 2011.

 

Marketing Matters

This year marks the launch of a marketing campaign initiated by APRO to build the rent-to-own customer base. It will be a multi-year endeavor employing multiple strategies. In this and upcoming issues of our magazine, we will address the many facets of marketing that affect our industry.

 

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Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

 

Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
1504 Robin Hood Trail
Austin, Texas 78703
800/204-2776, ext. 103
Fax 512/794-0097