Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Pennsylvania
Law Firm Collecting Debt
About a year ago, I had originally made payment arrangements (verbally over phone- not written contract was signed) on a default credit card to a collections agency run by a law firm. Recently, due to cut hours at my job, I tried to delay or lower the payment for August, but it was taken out of my account anyway, causing my checking account to incur up to $300 in fees. I tried to explain that these fees were basically the extra $ that would have been their payment for September, but I got a man telling me that because it was a law firm there was nothing he could do to change the payments set. I have always been more than willing to make payments, but I don't want to end up in jail or selling my house for a $1700 debt (down from original $3700) that I am willing to pay payments on; just payments I can easier afford on my lower paycheck. I'm not sure if I can ''demand'' they put me on a lower payment plan, or if I have any rights in the matter. Please help- I'm tired of losing sleep over the matter. Thank you.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Law Firm Collecting Debt
Your question seems to be a general one about negotiating with a larger company when you are just one person. How can you make it a fair fight when you are fighting a law firm, right?
The answer that many people don't want to hear is that you have to hire your own lawyer. Collection agencies are happy to kick you in the ribs all day long until they know that you are represented by a lawyer, and then they must communicate with the lawyer and not the debtor any more. That takes the fun out of it for them. Who wants to talk to a lawyer? They know that they have to watch every word that they say because we are looking to use that word against them.
Will it cost you? In most cases, yes, but every lawyer is required by the ethical code to communicate his fee to you before the representation begins. You should definitely call somebody in your area to see if they can help you.
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