Summary:
Buying a new car or home can be so much fun You pick out the colours, the style, and all that goes with it. You sign up for a loan and leave feeling accomplished. However, when signing up for a loan or a credit card you may not be aware that if you do not pay, your belongings could be repossessed. It can happen to anyone and it is important that you know what can and can not be taken in the event that you do fall a few payments behind. Understanding the laws can greatly help ...
Buying a new car or home can be so much fun You pick out the colours, the style, and all that goes with it. You sign up for a loan and leave feeling accomplished. However, when signing up for a loan or a credit card you may not be aware that if you do not pay, your belongings could be repossessed. It can happen to anyone and it is important that you know what can and can not be taken in the event that you do fall a few payments behind. Understanding the laws can greatly help you avoid repossession and protect you from being taken advantage of throughout the process of the loan.
Not all items can be repossessed. Land, for example, can not be repossessed in most cases. The only way that land can be repossessed is if the contract includes a grace period. This grace period is a time frame in which every payment must be made after a late payment is incurred. If you do not make the payment within this grace period then the land can in fact be taken back by the original owner.
If you are out of work for an extended period of time and are unable to make payments notify your creditor. Sometimes your contract will include Credit Accident and Health Insurance. This insurance will pay the debt that you obtain while you are unable to make payments. Usually this insurance only comes into effect when you have been sick for more than two weeks. It is important that you check whether or not you have this insurance prior to being unable to make payments because if you do not have it, those missed payments could cause that item to be repossessed.
A repossessor can not come into your home without your consent. This means if you see someone trying to break into your home, garage or any place where the item in question is being stored, call the police. Even if someone claims to have legal documentation which states that they can take the item, it is best to contact a lawyer.
If your property is repossessed then you will not be required to pay for it afterwards. The only time you will need to make extra payments is if the property seized was an automobile. Since the creditor will be selling your vehicle for the best price they can get, you will have to pay the difference that is lost in the sale. Any extra money that the creditor earns from completing the sale must be awarded to you. Sometimes the creditor will sell the vehicle for an extremely low amount in order to get money from you. This is illegal and should be reported immediately to your lawyer.
Understanding repossession laws can save you the trouble of trying to regain your property in the unfortunate event of repossession. It is much easier to prevent your property from being repossessed than to try and get it back. Be aware of repossession laws.