Posted ByKylie PerkinsMany people have failed from time to time. From losing at a baseball game to flunking out of school. However small a failure is, it is still hard to admit, and even harder to bounce back.
If you are on private land such as a supermarket car park the “fine” is not actually a fine and will have come from a private company. Private parking charges are unenforceable in Court although they will often sell these “fines” to a private company and they will hassle you. Simply refer them to the driver of the car but don’t say who the driver is. That should get rid of it. Expect them to write to you lots of times but you can simply ignore the correspondence. A friend of mine has been getting letters from a Debt collection companies in respect of his overstay in a supermarket car park, for the last two years. He simply ignores them.
Do not lie. In your mail to the debt collection agency, tell what you can afford to pay and when you are going to pay it. Include the first payment with that letter. You can pay with either a money order or a check. While a money order does not give bank account information to the debt collectors, it also does not give you any receipt that you actually made a payment and if it was cashed or not.
In California I am not currently aware of people being issued arrest warrants for owing purely personal debt but be aware of situations that could amount to debtor’s prison. Courts always maintain that they put people in jail for violating a court order and not for owing debts and thus they get around the constitutional prohibitions. Some creditors in some states have used this loophole to just get a judge to order payment of the debt and when payment is not made then the judge issues an arrest warrant for failing to follow a judicial order. This amounts to the exact same thing as a debtor’s prison.
How you pay the debt is another key factor. First, find out if they are willing to accept monthly payments to pay the debt and if so, how much per month would it require and how much of the debt will be taken off if you pay as agreed upon. Also, you should find out how much of the balance will be taken off if you pay them in full with one payment. This type of payment is desired by collection agencies because they are getting money quickly and this reduces the risk of having to call back for payments or payments bouncing in the future due to change in checking accounts. Use this tool to negotiate your balance owed as it should give you a much clearer picture on what it would take to pay the debt.
The first call you receive on your cell phone, at work, or on your home phone will send a shock through your soul. At some point you will become frustrated with the collectors, yourself, and your debt. Again, take a deep breath and gather yourself. Don’t attack the debt collector with choice words as that will do nothing to help the situation. Be polite and gather the facts. Gathering the facts of the debt in question is the first step in negotiating the debt owed.
A consumer debt collection firm will always be aggressive in trying to make you pay off your debt. That is why debt negotiation services are here for you. Opt to have their service and be sure to have an ally on dealing with debt together with those collectors. Manage your financial situation and exercise your rights as a consumer.