Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors attempting to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are various laws and regulations in Norristown, Pennsylvania that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are authorized to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Norristown, Pennsylvania?
If you are owed money and the debtor refuses to pay, you have some options at your disposal. However, you must tread lightly when it comes to collecting your debts. Creditors and collectors are governed by strict consumer protection rules. Violating these rules can hurt your chances of recovering what you are owed, and even subject you to civil or criminal penalties.
Some practices that collectors cannot engage in include the use of abusive language, contacting third parties about the debt, and threatened or actual 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 considerable, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Norristown, Pennsylvania. You should make sure that any agency you hire is dependable, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Norristown, Pennsylvania?
If you know that you owe the money being sought of you, and have the ability to pay it, you should do so - this is the quickest and surest way to end collections calls. Of course, this is not the case for everyone. Whatever your situation, you should always behave cordially with the collection callers, especially if they are doing the same. Whatever you do, you should not ignore the matter, because this will never make the problem go away, and will make things worse in the long run.
Your best option in Norristown, Pennsylvania might be to contact the creditor directly, and try to work out some type of new repayment plan. The sooner you do this, the more receptive to your ideas the creditor is likely to be. If this isn't successful, you can demand that the collectors stop contacting you by phone, and they will normally be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, and you should only take this route if you are prepared to defend against a lawsuit from your creditors, since demanding that they stop contacting you typically leaves them with no other option but to sue.
If you have hired a Norristown, Pennsylvania 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 Norristown, Pennsylvania 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 a Norristown, Pennsylvania attorney, since you might really have a claim for damages against the creditor.
Also, if you're considering filing for bankruptcy, a good attorney in Pennsylvania can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.