If you slip behind on your car payments, it won’t be long before you hear from your lender. At that point, it’s critical to do your part in working out an agreement that allows you to keep your vehicle.
Depending on the circumstances, there may come a point when your lender decides to move forward with repossession. If that happens, your vehicle is at risk of being towed away at any point.
Generally speaking, a creditor can go just about anywhere they want to repossess your vehicle. For example, they can tow it away from your house, place of employment or shopping mall parking lot.
It’s natural to assume you can simply hide your car to prevent repossession. While this sounds like a great idea, it’s actually illegal to do so. You can’t hide your vehicle with the sole intent of defrauding your lender. This can result in both criminal and civil penalties.
Of course, there is plenty of gray area in regards to intent. For example, it may be a habit to park your vehicle in your garage at all times, as to keep it in good condition.
Even if you’ve missed a payment or more, it doesn’t necessarily mean your lender has the legal right to repossess your vehicle. It’s critical to stay in touch with your lender, learn more about your situation and take steps to protect your legal rights.
If you’re the victim of a wrongful repossession, take steps to find out what went wrong, how you can get your vehicle back and what you can do to hold the at-fault party responsible.
