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How To Hide Your Car From Repossession

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I Cant Pay My Car Loan

Having To Hide Your Car From Repossession DG #560

Most car loans are secured against the car. You can check if your car is security for the loan by checking your loan contract or the national Personal Properties Securities Register

If your car is security for your loan, your car may be seized and sold by the lender. If its a personal loan, a default notice must be sent first. This will give you at least 30 days to pay your arrears before your car can be seized. If you receive a default notice, do not ignore it.

If your car is not security for your loan, your lender cant seize it unless they have a court order authorising the Sheriff to take it.

When can your car be repossessed?

The lender cant repossess your car or goods without a court order if you owe less than $10,000, or 25 per cent of your loan .

If you owe more than this, they can repossess your car, but only if:

  • Youre behind on repayments
  • They have sent you a notice giving you 30 days to pay the overdue amount
  • 30 days have passed and you havent paid this amount, or made an arrangement to pay, or asked to postpone repossession.

Your car cant be repossessed if its parked on your property this includes your garage and yard. If your car is parked on the street, it can be towed away.

I cant make my repayments what can I do?

If you cant afford to pay anything right now, but your circumstances are temporary contact your lender and request a hardship variation. You can request this in writing by using this sample letter from the Financial Rights Legal Centre.

Surrender The Vehicle Voluntarily

If you’ve explored all other options and can’t find one that works for you, surrendering the vehicle voluntarily will still hurt your credit score, but not as much as a repossession. With this option, you take the car to the lender instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Plus, if you owe more than the car is worth, a voluntary surrender may give you some bargaining power in waiving or reducing the amount you owe after the lender sells the vehicle.

How Does The Repo Man Find Your Car

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In a Nutshell

Vehicle repossession occurs when a lender takes a car back from a borrower when the borrower falls behind on loan payments. If you are concerned that your car may be targeted for repossession, there are things you can do to lower your risk of missing payments. Read more to learn what a repo man can and can’t do, what happens after repossession, and what steps you can take to avoid repossession in the first place.

An auto lender can repossess your car if you fall behind on your car loan payments. A repo can happen very quickly and without much notice. Itâs important to understand how repossession works and how you can manage this situation successfully. This article will explain how repo agents can find your car and take it. Youâll also learn about your rights, options, and things to consider once your car has been repossessed.

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Getting Your Car Back

You can read more here about options for getting your car back after repossession. Redemption and reinstatement are two common options. Redemption involves buying back your car by paying off the loan and any repossession costs, although this is not usually possible for people who have defaulted on a loan. Reinstatement involves paying back the arrears on the loan and repossession costs, which will reinstate the loan as long as you can keep up with payments. You can also try to buy your car when the lender sells it, although you still will be liable to the lender for any deficiency balance. Finally, filing for bankruptcy can help shield your car from sale by the lender by triggering the automatic stay.

Is It Legal To Hide My Vehicle

Does Hiding a Car to Avoid Repossession Actually Work?

The first question to ask is this: has your lender taken you to court and received a writ of replevin? If so, call for a free consultation as there are many different situations that can occur and you do not want to be held in contempt of court. You can go to jail for contempt of court , and you really don’t want that to happen.

Otherwise, the general rule is that it is not illegal to hide your vehicle from the repo man. The Wisconsin Consumer Act governs most vehicle repossessions in Wisconsin and the law is silent as it relates to hiding your vehicle from a repossession agent.

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Be Aware You Might Still Owe Money

Its important to understand that even if your car gets repossessed, its likely that youll still owe the lender money. If you owe $12,000 on the loan, for example, and the lender sells your repossessed car for $8,000, the $4,000 difference as well as any associated fees and costs are called the deficiency, which youll get a bill for.

How Many Payments Can You Miss Before Your Car Is Repossessed

There is no set time limit on when your car can be repossessed if you have defaulted on your loan. Technically, when you are even one day late with your car payments you are in default of your loan agreement. With that being said, it is very risky to go beyond one month of default on your car note. Even if you are within 1 month, it is very important to communicate with your lender. Do not avoid calls or letters, speak to them about your financial situation and be honest. Dont tell them that you can make a payment in the near future if you cannot.

Attention: If your car has been repossessed or about to be repossessed in the state of Georgia, time is of the essence to take action. Contact Cherney Law Firm today for a FREE Consultation. We are here to answer your questions. We can get your car back or stop the future repo. Dont Delay, call us immediately at 485-4141 or fill out our form on the side of this page and Attorney Matthew Cherney will contact you.

Read How Cherney Law Firm has helped Some of our clients with vehicle repossession with actual client cases

Find out how the Power of the Automatic Stay stops your creditors from trying to collect car payments from your immediately

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Should I Hide My Car To Stop A Repo

We always advise against hiding your car to prevent a repossession. After all, just because it may be legal doesn’t mean it’s a good short term solution. Your vehicle is still at risk of being taken and probably taken when you least suspect it, and you could end up being stranded in the middle of a grocery store parking lot. Trust us when we say this happens more often than people realize. Let’s talk about a longer term strategy so this doesn’t happen. You have important repossession rights, and it is crucial you understand and legally exercise those rights.

Is A Warning Notice Required Before A Repossession Can Take Place

Can You Hide Your Car From the Repo Man?

Usually no warning notice is required before repossession. For example, a car can be repossessed without any warning notice if you fall behind in payments. But, Pennsylvania law does require a warning notice in two situations:

  • Mobile homes. If you borrowed the money to buy a mobile home, the creditor may not repossess the mobile home without first giving you a written 30-day notice and giving you a chance to stop the repossession by making up the back payments. Then you can prevent repossession of the mobile home by paying the back payments, plus late charges and up to $50 for the creditor’s attorney’s fees. You also have to correct any other violations of your contract with the creditor. Even after the 30 days pass, you can save a mobile home by catching up on the payments, but then you may have to pay court costs and higher attorney’s fees.
  • Personal property other than a vehicle. If you borrowed the money to buy personal property other than a vehicle , the creditor may not repossess the property without first giving you a 21-day notice that gives you a chance to make up the back payments.
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    When A Lender Can Take Your Car

    In many states, your lender can take your car as soon as you default on your loan or lease. Your contract should say what could put you in default, but not making a payment on time is a typical example.

    Once youre in default, the lender may be able to repossess your car at any time, without notice, and come onto your property to take it. But the lender cant breach the peace when they take it. In some states, breaching the peace includes using physical force, threatening to use force, or even removing your car from a closed garage without your permission.

    Can I Hide My Car To Prevent Repossession

    On Behalf of CO., LPA | Oct 20, 2017 | Debt Collection

    Getting behind on your car payments usually results in your creditor sending the repossession specialist to your home to collect your vehicle. The first instinct of many vehicle owners facing repossession is to hide their vehicles.

    If the repo specialist cant locate your car, it cant be taken away from you, right? Before you take an action like this, you might want to think your decision over and consider how to resolve this problem in a more appropriate way. Hiding your vehicle is a temporary solution at best and may be unlawful. The filing of a bankruptcy is a legal way to deal with a delinquent vehicle debt and avoid a repossession.

    When can my creditor repossess my vehicle?

    Its important to understand the law behind repossessions of property. In most situations, all the creditor requires is for you to default on your loan. Then, the creditor can repossess the property that secures the loan such as a vehicle in the case of a car loan. Its therefore important to reach out to your creditor before you miss a payment, or immediately after you miss a payment. You may be able to negotiate a resolution to your financial dilemma that does not involve vehicle repossession.

    Repossession professionals use every trick in the book

    Its against the law to hide your car from the repossession man

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    Ask Your Lender To Reinstate The Loan

    If youre able and willing to pay the loans arrears and all the affiliated costs, but not the outstanding balance of the loan, your lender might be willing to reinstate the loan, which is different than redemption. You would essentially pay the back balance and go back to where you started with the loan. Your state might have laws giving you the right to reinstate or reinstatement protection might have been written into your loan. Either way, the lender has to inform you in writing if you have the right to reinstate and, if so, to give you an associated quote. As with redemption, time is of the essence with reinstatement, and youll have to get in good standing within a certain time period.

    Understand That Banks Don’t Prefer Repossession

    How To Hide Your Car From Repossession?

    Banks make money by financing loans, not from paying contractors to repo cars and then selling them at a loss. Cars depreciate in value quickly and dramatically. Repossession cases require expensive legal work, selling cars costs money, and lenders are likely never to receive full deficiency payments even through court orders. This reality gives you a lot of leverage if you get into trouble but only if youre proactive before the repossession takes place.

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    You’ll Owe The Lender More Money

    Maybe you know you’ll have the money to catch up with the loan in a few short weeks, so you give in to the temptation to hide your vehicle for a little while. If the repo agent finds it, you’ll probably end up owing your lender more than just the balance of the loan. When a repo agent has to put extra time and effort into tracking down a car, he charges the lender more for his trouble. In turn, the lender adds these costs to your debt. This is legal in most states, so after your vehicle is repossessed and sold, you’ll be responsible for any outstanding balance the sale doesn’t cover plus a lot of additional repossession fees as well.

    The 9 Ways How To Hide Your Car From Repossession

    Is the tow trunk at your door due to payment-related issues? You should not worry yourself, you still have way out of this. It may seem that you have come to the end of the rope here, but be assured there a couple of ways on how to hide your car from repossession. You may not like some of the ways, but they will give you a chance to fight and keep your vehicle. Am not saying you do something crazy as most people do by keeping a young one in the car, or walking out with a gun when you see a tow truck.

    There are a number of rational options you can take that may help keep your ride. The options may be short term and hurting but will save you from walking to work or store.

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    Representing Clients Throughout Atlanta

    If you are behind on your auto loan payments, you are probably weighing your options. You may be worried about when or where the repossession will take place and if youll be stranded afterwards, unable to get to work or conduct other daily activities. You may even think that if you do nothing and let your car get repossessed that you will no longer be obligated to your creditor. The truth is that your creditor is entitled to the full amount that you agreed to pay according to your loan contract.

    Repossession doesnt automatically settle your debt. When a car is repossessed at work or at home, it can be very embarrassing and overwhelming. It may not seem fair that creditors can take back your property and still demand money from you, but it is legal. If your repossessed vehicle fails to sell at auction for the exact amount you owe, you will continue to be liable for that remaining debts balance.

    To understand your legal options related to repossession, we advise that you talk to our Lawrenceville repossession lawyer at The Ballard Law Group. Get your questions answered about customized debt resolution, including all of the possibilities for keeping your case.

    or contact us online to set up your free, initial consultation.

    How Can I Spy On Someones Car

    Can you hide your car from this REPO man?

    Try to get a recorder that has a powerful magnet below it and can get attached below the car. If you think installing a spy app on their device is a better option, then look for the features like location tracking, sound recording, and video recording. Keep in mind that these features should work perfectly as well.

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    In Reality Repossession Will Probably Take Longer

    As previously stated, banks dont want to repossess cars, they want to collect interest on loans. Most lenders will wait until a loan moves from default to delinquency. Thats usually three missed payments or 90 days before they issue repossession orders. If youre in a financial bind, however, you shouldnt assume you have three months to figure things out.

    Stop Car Repossession In Tennessee Bankruptcy Lawyer

    For most Tennessee residents, a car is a necessity. You need transportation to get to work and go to the grocery store, among other things. If you have fallen behind on your loan payments and are facing repossession by your lender, you do have options, such as filing for bankruptcy.

    Bankruptcy can be an effective way to stop car repossession proceedings, or at the least, settle your deficiency balance . When you file for bankruptcy in Tennessee, the lender must stop repossession efforts for your vehicle. You may even be able to get your lender to return your already repossessed vehicle.

    To learn more about Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy code in Tennessee, contact The Pope Firm for a free consultation. Our qualified team has helped countless residents stop the repossession process, keep their vehicles, and get out from under the stress of excess debt.

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    What Rules Does My Lender Have To Follow

    Once the period to catch up on your payments has passed, the lender can repossess your vehicle, but they have to follow these guidelines:

    • The repossession agent cant use force or threats when repossessing the vehicle.
    • The person sent to get the vehicle is not allowed to go onto your owned or rented property unless you allow it. But, if your car is parked on the street next to your property, the person doesnt need to have your consent.
    • Repossession from other public or private locations is usually allowed as long as the repossession agent does not breach the peace or engage in disorderly behavior.
    • The person sent to get your vehicle has to tell the police department in your city or town about the repossession within one hour of taking your car.

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