"Collections" refers to the practices engaged in by creditors designed to obtain payment from debtors who are not interested in paying what they owe. In Staunton, Virginia, there are countless laws which carefully limit the practices that collections agencies can engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Staunton, Virginia?
If someone owes you money and declines to pay it, you have various options at your disposal. However, when it comes to collecting their debts, creditors are governed by specific consumer protection rules. Violation of these rules while attempting to collect could hurt your chances at effectively recovering your money, and/or subject 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.
Creditors may, however, send written demands for timely payment, along with an invoice that precisely lays out exactly what the debtor owes. If the debt is substantial, it might be worth it to hire a Staunton, Virginia collection agency, which usually gets paid through a percentage of the debt collected. You should make sure, however, that the agency is trustworthy, and hasn't been cited for violations of consumer protection laws.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Staunton, Virginia?
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 polite manner. In any event, you should never ignore the problem, as this usually makes things worse.
Thankfully, you have numerous options at your disposal in Staunton, Virginia. First, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if some sort of solution can be worked out. If this is unsuccessful, you can tell the collectors to stop contacting you, which may work in some instances. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might give you a little bit of breathing room. The collectors will only be allowed to contact you to let you know that they are suing you for the money owed, or that they have stopped trying to collect the debt.
If you have hired a lawyer in Staunton, Virginia, they might advise that you apply for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends strongly on the facts of your specific case, so you should not do so unless an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a possible solution.
How Can a Staunton, Virginia Collections Attorney Help?
If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its effort to collect from you, you should get in touch with a Staunton, Virginia attorney, since you may actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
Also, if you are considering bankruptcy as an option, a seasoned Virginia attorney can help guide you through the process.