Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors trying to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are numerous laws and regulations in Victoria, Texas that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are permitted to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Victoria, Texas?
If someone owes you money and won't pay, you have several legal options to seek repayment of your debt. However, you need to be careful in this area. There are many rules and regulations detailing what debt collectors can and cannot do. Violating these laws, even inadvertently, can harm your chances at collecting, and maybe even expose you to civil penalties.
Several 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 substantial, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Victoria, Texas. 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 Victoria, Texas?
If you truly owe the money that they are attempting to collect, and are able to pay it, doing so would be your best option for ending the collections calls. Of course, this is not everybody's situation. When dealing with collectors, you should try to maintain the high ground by behaving in a calm and amicable manner. In any event, you should never ignore the problem, as this usually makes things worse.
Fortunately, you have some options in Victoria, Texas. First of all, you should attempt 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 permitted 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 a Victoria, Texas lawyer to help, he or she may advise that you file for bankruptcy. If you do apply for bankruptcy, creditors are immediately required to suspend all collection activities. Of course, bankruptcy is a major decision, and should not be made without the advice of an attorney.
How Can a Victoria, Texas Collections Attorney Help?
If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its effort to collect, you should probably call a Victoria, Texas 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 Texas can help you with that process, too.