Washingtons laws are the Collection Agency Act CAA RCW 1916100 and Consumer Protection Act CPA RCW 1986010. No person shall act assume to act or advertise as a collection agency or out-of-state collection agency as defined in this chapter except as authorized by this chapter without first.
How Debt Collectors Are Transforming The Business Of State Courts The Pew Charitable Trusts
You can find these laws at your local library or online.
Washington debt collection. They do not apply to a firm which is collecting its own past-due accounts. Collection agencies arent allowed to disclose your debt. Provisions exclusive Authority of political subdivisions to levy business and occupation taxes not affected.
Federal and state laws protect debtors contacted by collection agencies. This section summarizes portions of the states collection agency law RCW 1916 and the federal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act 15 USC 1692. For debt collection the statute of limitation is the fixed amount of time that debt collectors can seek legal means for collecting an unpaid debt that is owed to them.
E For these reasons among others a majority of defendants in debt collection cases filed in Washington superior courts fail to respond to the summons and complaint and as a result have default judgments entered against them. Provisions cumulative Violation of RCW 1916250 deemed civil. The Washington State Collection Agency Act took effect on January 1 1972 and is enforced by the Department of Licensing and the Washington State Collection Agency Board.
As such we handle the most legal filings of any agency in our area and provide services primarily in Washington and Oregon with affiliates throughout the United States and Canada. Any business involved in collecting a debt on behalf of a debt owner or collecting a debt you have purchased from another person debt buyer see definition and either you the debtor or the debt owner are located in Washington you must have a Collection Agency endorsement and be licensed in Washington. Washington Fair Debt Collection Practices Act RCW 1916110.
Uniform regulation of business and professions act. The federal law is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act FDCPA 15 USC. These laws apply to businesses which collect debts for other businesses.
Any individual collecting a debt using any name other than their own when contacting a debtor to collect a debt owed to the individual. WA State Licensing DOL Official Site. What You Should Know About Debt Collection The first thing to know is that Washington state law prohibits intimidating threatening or harassing conduct in connection with the collection of a debt.
Public bodies may retain collection agencies to collect public debts Fees. By publishing or posting a list of debtors or threatening to do so. Purchases delinquent or charged off debts for collection purposes whether it collects the debts itself or hires a third party to collect the debts.
Once the statute of limitations has expired the debt is considered time-barred and debt collectors can no longer sue debtors over unpaid debt. A debt collector may communicate. Washington Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection.
12 Out-of-state collection agency means a person whose activities within this state are limited to collecting debts from debtors located in this state by means of interstate communications including telephone mail or facsimile transmission from the persons location in another state on behalf of clients located outside of this state but does not include any person who is excluded from. Under Washington law which applies to collection agents and not original creditors for the most part requires. Washington State law prohibits intimidating threatening or harassing conduct in connection with the collection of a debt.
To a third party except under the specific circumstances in RCW 1916250 9. It requires debt collectors to be licensed and bonded prohibits unfair and deceptive actions regulates how a collector can communicate with you and more. Washingtons debt collection agency law mirrors the FDCPA in most respects with several exceptions.
We have been in the Debt Collection Service business for almost fifty years since 1958 and family owned and operated since 1977 and are the largest staffed agency in SouthEastern Washington. The Washington collection agency law regulates debt collectors in the state of Washington and provides some protection if a debt collector is trying to collect from you.
