"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 Arapahoe County, Colorado governing the tactics that collection agencies can and cannot do.
What if I Am Owed Money in Arapahoe County, Colorado?
If somebody owes you money and is declining to pay, you have several 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 prohibits creditors from engaging in any form of violence against the debtor in an attempt to collect. It also 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 significant, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Arapahoe County, Colorado. You should make sure that any agency you hire is reputable, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Arapahoe County, Colorado?
Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving courteously, 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 Arapahoe County, Colorado. 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 usually 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 retained the services of an Arapahoe County, Colorado attorney, they may advise that you declare bankruptcy, depending on your particular situation. In any case, you shouldn't consider bankruptcy before weighing other options, and discussing the matter with an attorney.
How Can a Arapahoe County, Colorado 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 an Arapahoe County, Colorado attorney, since you may actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in Colorado can help you with that process, too.