Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors attempting to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are numerous laws and regulations in Austin, Texas that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are permitted to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Austin, Texas?
If somebody owes you money and is refusing to pay, you have various options at your disposal. However, in doing so, you will be governed by very strict consumer protection laws that govern the collection of debts. Breaking these rules can hurt your chances at successfully collecting, and might even expose you to civil liability.
The law blocks creditors from engaging in any form of violence against the debtor in an attempt to collect. It additionally bars them from using abusive language or contacting third parties about the debt owed by the debtor.
What you can do, however, is send an invoice of the debt to the debtor, along with a firm (but civil) demand for timely payment. If the debt is substantial, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Austin, Texas. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Austin, Texas?
Of course, if you owe money and have the ability to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving cordially, you should do the same. In any case, it is never a good idea to ignore the issue, because that will definitely not make it go away.
However, you do have some options in Austin, Texas. First of all, you should make an effort to get in direct contact with the creditor, as opposed to the collection agency, and try to work something out. If this fails, you can tell the collections agency to stop calling you, and they typically are obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't eliminate the debt, but it can buy you some time. You should know, however, that when you show that you are not interested in dealing with the creditors or collectors directly, they will usually resort to a lawsuit.
If you have hired an Austin, Texas attorney to help you through this process, he or she might advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from attempting to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.
How Can a Austin, Texas Collections Attorney Help?
If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its attempts to collect from you, you should get in touch with an Austin, Texas attorney, since you might actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
If you are thinking about bankruptcy, a good Texas bankrutpcy attorney can help guide you through the process.