"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 Tyrone, Georgia governing the tactics that collection agencies can and cannot do.
What if I Am Owed Money in Tyrone, Georgia?
If someone owes you money and won't pay, you have several legal options to seek repayment of your debt. However, you need to be careful in this area. There are many rules and regulations detailing what debt collectors can and cannot do. Violating these laws, even inadvertently, can harm your chances at collecting, and maybe even expose you to civil penalties.
As an example, when attempting to collect, creditors may not use abusive language, contact third parties regarding the debt, or use violence or threats of violence.
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 Tyrone, Georgia. 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 Tyrone, Georgia?
If you actually owe the money being sought, and you are able to pay it, you should of course do so. If the collection caller is behaving amicably, you should do the same. Even if the caller doesn't behave in an amicable manner, you should resist the urge to respond in kind, and ask to speak with a supervisor, or simply end the conversation. Whatever you do, you should never ignore the issue. This will not make the problem go away.
Luckily, you have some options in Tyrone, Georgia. First of all, you should try to directly contact the creditor, and see if some altered payment plan can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can ask the collectors to stop contacting you by phone, and they will usually be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it may give you some time to collect yourself and prepare a legal defense. Once this happens, the collection agency can only contact you to inform you that it intends to sue you for the debt owed.
If you have hired a Tyrone, Georgia 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 Tyrone, Georgia 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 Tyrone, Georgia attorney, since you might actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
Also, if you're considering applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned attorney in Georgia can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.