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 The Woodlands, Texas that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are authorized to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in The Woodlands, Texas?
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.
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 The Woodlands, Texas. 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 The Woodlands, Texas?
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 civilly 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.
Luckily, you have some options in The Woodlands, Texas. 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 normally 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 retained the services of a The Woodlands, Texas attorney, they might advise that you declare bankruptcy, depending on your individual situation. In any case, you shouldn't consider bankruptcy before weighing other options, and discussing the matter with an attorney.
How Can a The Woodlands, Texas Collections Attorney Help?
If you believe that the collections agency is engaging in illegal or abusive activity, you should consult with a local attorney in The Woodlands, Texas, as you might actually have a claim for damages against the collection agency.
If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, a good lawyer in Texas can help you with that process, too.