"Collections" refers to the process by which creditors try to get nonpaying debtors to pay what is owed. There are countless laws in New Gloucester, Maine regulating the conduct of collections agences.

What if I Am Owed Money in New Gloucester, Maine?

If you are owed money and the debtor won't pay, for whatever reason, you are entitled to seek collection by any lawful means. Of course, the means of collection that are considered "lawful" are quite limited. You should be aware of the rules that govern collections before you proceed, as violating them can hurt your chances of collecting, and even expose you to 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 New Gloucester, Maine. 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 New Gloucester, Maine?

If you truly owe the money being sought, and you are able to pay it, you should of course do so. If the collection caller is behaving courteously, you should do the same. Even if the caller doesn't behave in a polite 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 New Gloucester, Maine. First of all, you should try to directly contact the creditor, and see if some revised 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 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 New Gloucester, Maine 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 New Gloucester, Maine Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its effort to collect, you should probably call a New Gloucester, Maine attorney, since such actions on the part of the creditor may actually give you a claim for damages against it.

If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in Maine can help you with that process, too.