"Collections" refers to the process by which creditors attempt to get nonpaying debtors to pay what is owed. There are many laws in Mandeville, Louisiana regulating the conduct of collections agences.
What if I Am Owed Money in Mandeville, Louisiana?
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.
You may, however, send a written demand for timely payment. The demand should lay out precisely how much the debtor allegedly owes. If there is a large amount of money involved, it might be worth it to hire a Mandeville, Louisiana collections agency, which will probably take its fee in the form of a percentage of the debt collected. You should do some research on various collections agencies in your area, to make sure the one you hire is trustworthy, and scrupulously follows the law.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Mandeville, Louisiana?
If you truly owe the money that is being sought, and can afford to pay it, you should do so. If the collection caller is behaving in a civil manner, you should try to do the same. In any case, the worst thing you can do is ignore the issue hoping that it will go away. It won't.
Luckily, you have some options in Mandeville, Louisiana. First of all, you should attempt to directly contact the creditor, and see if some modified 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 typically be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might 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 lawyer in Mandeville, Louisiana, they might advise that you file for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends heavily on the facts of your specific case, so you should not do so until an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a possible solution.
How Can a Mandeville, Louisiana Collections Attorney Help?
If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its attempts to collect, you should probably call a Mandeville, Louisiana attorney, since such actions on the part of the creditor might actually give you a claim for damages against it.
If you are thinking about bankruptcy, a good Louisiana bankrutpcy attorney can help guide you through the process.