Understandably, one of the calls nobody ever wants to deal with is one from a collector. After all, collection agencies are phoning with gentle reminders or to have cordial conversations. As the name suggests, collection agencies aim to collect on outstanding debt. No matter how the debt was incurred, the collection agency only wants the payment and doesn’t want to hear excuses.
Their entire job is hinged on getting you to cough up money on your outstanding debt. Sometimes, people decide to just ignore the calls altogether. While that’s understandable to some extent, ignoring the issue won’t make it go away or help resolve the issue. All of that said, it now begs the question, “Will your debt stop being an issue if you ignore your creditors?”
Not answering and addressing debt collectors and their calls is not a good idea. If anything, it will usually exacerbate an already tricky situation. You might have to deal with increasing collection tactics if you continue to ignore them. That will then open up a number of negative possibilities, such as:
- Calls to your family, employers and other contacts provided during collection procedures;
- Negative reporting on credit reports;
- Legal action;
- Garnishment of wages;
- Money being taken straight out of your bank account;
- Personal property being seized.
Additionally, a debt collector that’s no longer calling doesn’t mean they stopped and you’re safe. It also doesn’t mean that your credit score is safe. The impacts on your credit score and potential legal action can still continue whether or not you are actively receiving collections.
Surely the Collections Pursuit Has to Stop at Some Point: When Is That?
Debt regulations are not “one size fits all” across Canada. Make sure that if you’re dealing with debt, and navigating collectors as you try to figure things out, you have a firm grasp of the rules in your province. Provinces may govern collection agencies differently and regulations surrounding limitations may also differ.
What Happens When Creditors Are Ignored?
As previously mentioned, creditors will find a way to try to collect what you owe. Some of the methods can include:
- Filing a lawsuit in the court of law;
- Hiring a collection agency to call you with the hopes of recovering payment;
- Hiring a debt collection agency to collect payment on their behalf;
- Selling your debt to a third-party.
Talking to debt collectors once you have formulated a plan is genuinely the best route to take. There is no “giving up” for debt collectors whatsoever. That said, you should also be aware of what they can and can’t do. Some debts are even barred or extinguished by various limitations legislation and collection agencies and creditors may not be able to take the legal action they are threatening.
Conclusion
Debt can be quite the stressor as it is, but more so when collectors get involved. Some people think ignoring collection agencies will simply make it go away. The truth is this will likely only make things worse because legal action can still be taken for the debt owed to get paid off.
Do you feel lost on how to deal with creditors and collection agencies? If you want to review your options and learn about consolidation loans, debt management programs, credit counselling, proposals, consumer proposals and bankruptcies, we at Paul J. Pickering and Associates Limited are here to help you, backed by over 30 years of experience in helping our clients resolve their financial problems. Let’s discuss the right plan for you!