State laws on deficiency after car repossession

“In certain cases, the state prevents a car lender from attempting to recover a deficit amount upon a car repossession.”

A creditor can try to recover the deficiency value from you if there comes a situation where you default on your loan contract, and your car is repossessed by the lender. This is one of the reasons that state laws on deficiency after car repossession are made for people’s ease. On the other hand, there are times where the creditor is unable to investigate you for the deficit.

Following are some of those stated reasons:

Loan papers of defects

Unless the creditor is the legitimate payee of the note and has a security interest in the vehicle, one cannot claim the deficit. Moreover, according to the state laws on deficiency after car repossession, if there comes a situation where the creditor tries to sue you for a deficit, then you have the right to petition the judge to withdraw the case because of the following flaws:

According to the loan agreement, the creditor doesn’t entail the authority to charge you for a deficiency until it has taken possession of the car

You don’t have a security contract or signed loan from the creditor proving that you are accountable for the debt

The creditor who is suing you is not similar to the one listed on the loan documents, and it has not generated any legal paperwork or assignment, proving the debt was allocated to it

The creditor does not have a security interest in the vehicle as per the agreement

The inability of the creditor to give you notice

You must be assisted with particular rights and timely issued notices by the car loan creditor. You can easily claim a deficiency judgment if the creditor refuses to assist you with the requisite written notice. Such notices usually consist of:

The time, date, and place of the auction if the creditor is marketing the car

your entitlement to refund the car and when you will be able to do so

The explanation of costs and fees, as well as an estimate of the deficiency amount (or surplus, if relevant)

The right to reintroduce the loan, as well as when you can do so (this is applied in certain states only)

The date of the transaction, whenever the creditor is selling the vehicle privately

It may be possible that your creditor is good enough to assist you with such legally written notices beforehand, but if one makes it impossible for you to exercise your rights about such notices, for example, not letting you join the auction, or denying to consider your payment for the loan to be reinstated, then you have the right to claim it as mitigation or even a counterclaim for losses incurred as a consequence of any breaches.

The Inability of the creditor to sell the car in a commercially fair manner

The car must be sold in a commercially fair manner by the creditor. It should therefore market the car in good conscience, which means the creditor must behave fairly and honestly. Therefore, it is essential to take appropriate measures to seek buyers.

When it comes to the resale of cars, a creditor must meet industry standards in your region. One can’t secretly sell the car to a relative or a friend, neglect to announce the auction publicly, or trash a valuable car.

The decision to not sell the car by a creditor

If your car is repossessed by a creditor, but one decides to retain it instead of selling it, then the creditor must not blame you for the remaining value of the loan. Rather, your debt must be forgiven. And if a creditor decides to seek you for further money, it must take action to reduce losses by selling the vehicle. In case, the creditor possesses the car but still appeals to you on the remainder of the note, this is known as double recovery, and you can use this as a defense for yourself.

Bankruptcy filed by your side 

A bankruptcy discharge certainly prohibits a car loan lender from seeking a default judgment regarding you. This is one of the very important state laws on deficiency after car repossession. However, when you file for bankruptcy, the court instantly issues an involuntary stay, which means creditors must cease all collection activities. Creditors on loans that were specified in your bankruptcy are normally indelibly barred from acquiring such debts from you if you obtain a discharge in bankruptcy.

Furthermore, if a creditor sues you, proceeds an ongoing lawsuit, or seeks money for the deficiency balance as you have proclaimed bankruptcy, then the creditor is breaking the rule and will face fines.

Contact an attorney

Truly if the creditor is lawfully able to recover the deficit balance, you will be able to use counterclaims or defenses to eradicate or lower the debt.