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How can I avoid repossession?

Produced by Will Komos, Ryan Metz, Kelsea Schimmel with attorney assistance from Raven Moeslinger
Reviewed January 2021

You should avoid repossession if you can.

To stop a repossession you can:

  • Get your payments up to date. Pay your missed payments within 21 days of the date on the “Rights of Defaulting Buyer” notice.
  • Ask the lender for more time to make the payment.
  • Ask the lender for a repayment plan to help catch up with missed payments.
  • Pay off the full amount you owe by getting another loan. Or
  • File for bankruptcy. If you file for bankruptcy you can sometimes stop a repossession. See Bankruptcy.
  • If your loan is less than 5 years, you may be able to use bankruptcy to lower the payments.

Your lender cannot "breach the peace" to repossess a vehicle. What does "breach the peace" mean? Your lender cannot break into a locked garage to take the car.

 

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