"Collections" refers broadly to the many tools that creditors have at their disposal to obtain payment from debtors who are not paying what they owe. There are many East Cleveland, Ohio laws and regulations concerning the conduct of collections agencies, and what they can and cannot do in order to collect.

What if I Am Owed Money in East Cleveland, Ohio?

If someone owes you money and won't pay, you have some legal options to seek repayment of your debt. However, you need to be careful in this area. There are many laws and regulations detailing what debt collectors can and cannot do. Breaking these laws, even inadvertently, can harm your chances at collecting, and maybe even expose you to civil penalties.

For example, it should go without saying that creditors are not allowed to use threatened or actual violence when trying to collect. They are also not allowed to use abusive language to the debtor, or contact a third party about the debt.

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 East Cleveland, Ohio. You should make sure that any agency you hire is reputable, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in East Cleveland, Ohio?

Of course, if you owe money and have the ability to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving civilly, 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.

Fortunately, you have some options in East Cleveland, Ohio. First of all, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if something can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can demand that the collection agency stop contacting you by phone. When this happens, they are not allowed to contact you further. This, of course, doesn't make the debt go away, but if the calls are becoming unbearable, it might buy you a little bit of time. Usually, when this happens, the creditor gives up on extra-judicial collections, and files a lawsuit against the debtor.

If you have hired an East Cleveland, Ohio attorney to help you through this process, he or she might advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from attempting to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.

How Can a East Cleveland, Ohio Collections Attorney Help?

If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its attempts to collect from you, you should get in touch with an East Cleveland, Ohio attorney, since you might actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.

Also, if you're considering filing for bankruptcy, a good attorney in Ohio can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.