"Collections" is the process by which creditors try to get nonpaying debtors to pay the money they owe. There are a huge number of laws in Yorba Linda, California governing the tactics that collection agencies can and cannot do.
What if I Am Owed Money in Yorba Linda, California?
If somebody owes you money and is declining to pay, you have various options at your disposal. However, in doing so, you will be governed by very specific consumer protection rules that govern the collection of debts. Violating these rules can hurt your chances at effectively 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 Yorba Linda, California. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Yorba Linda, California?
Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving amicably, 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 Yorba Linda, California. 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 cease calling you, and they typically are obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't expunge 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 a Yorba Linda, California attorney to help you through this process, he or she may advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from trying to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.
How Can a Yorba Linda, California Collections Attorney Help?
If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its effort to collect from you, you should get in touch with a Yorba Linda, California attorney, since you may actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
If you are thinking about bankruptcy, a seasoned California bankrutpcy attorney can help guide you through the process.