Many Virginia business owners or employees tasked with tracking delinquent accounts run into the problem of the account far past due and ask themselves “what now?” The debt collection process in Virginia is unique and this post seeks to give a brief overview for those Virginia business owners faced with tackling debt collection.
First, most debts are accrued under a contract, whether it be for the financing of a car, purchase of goods or services, or medical care. The controlling contract should have provisions governing what happens if an account is overdue. For instance, imposing late fees, accelerating the rest of what’s owed, or any other remedies under the contract. Often, it is beneficial for the creditor to reach out to the debtor to ascertain the debtor’s situation and seek to set-up payment arrangements if the entire amount owed cannot be made at present. Unfortunately, this all takes time. Debt collection is a time consuming, and often frustrating, process. At Chaplin & Gonet we have a team of experienced, courteous debt collection representatives who can manage your past due accounts. This leaves our clients with more time to concentrate on building their business and keeping their clients happy.
If working with the debtor to set-up payment arrangements does not work, then legal action is usually the next step. This debt collection practice is, of course, one that is most preferably done by an experienced debt collection attorney. At Chaplin & Gonet our experienced litigation and collection attorneys regularly appear in court all over Virginia and can handle virtually any debt collection matter. In Virginia, one usually files a Warrant in Debt in General District Court to assert the accrual of debt and allege that it is owed under a contract. This step of the debt collection process will oftentimes lead to the debtor contacting our office and setting-up payment arrangements. However, sometimes the matter goes forward and a trial is required. Having a team of experienced debt collection attorneys on your side is crucial at this juncture. The attorneys at Chaplin & Gonet are all experienced litigators that know the law and will strive to represent your interests with zeal in court.
If your business is in need of collecting on past due accounts call our office today to speak to a representative about making Chaplin & Gonet part of your debt collection team.
How to Choose a Debt Collector
For most small business owners the main area of concern is attracting and maintaining clients or customers. Not much thought or planning is usually given to how to collect on accounts receivable that are past due. This is understandable. Most of us operate on the assumption that people and businesses pay their debts on time, however, as any seasoned business owner can attest to, that is not always the case. This post will point out some important considerations to weigh when choosing a debt collector for your business, whether it is big or small, the attributes required for a competent debt collector are the same.
1. Will Your Debt Collector Travel?
This seems like a strange question at first blush, but it is an important consideration. For instance, if you have a business that deals with clients across Virginia you may not want to choose a debt collector who only appears in Richmond-area courts. Since many cases are filed where the defendant is located your debt collector would not be able to appear at any court proceedings outside of their geographic practice area. For instance, at Chaplin & Gonet, we travel across Virginia for subrogation and collection cases. This means that for clients looking for a debt collector that can handle both local and intrastate cases, we would likely be good candidate. Regardless of where you are, know what type of clients your business will be dealing with, and where they will most likely be located, and discuss this with your prospective debt collector.
- Debt Collector Capacity
Debt collection practices require specialized infrastructure that other types of practices do not. Since files require constant monitoring, from the intake of files to filing Warrants in Debt and trials, your debt collector should have a well-trained, experienced staff to help care for your accounts and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. At Chaplin & Gonet we have a team of dedicated debt collectors, support staff and attorneys that work in concert to maximize the return for our clients.
- What Type of Claims Can Your Debt Collector Handle?
What type of accounts you have delinquent should also affect who you choose as your debt collector. For instance, if you are a medical provider then your claims are mostly contract claims. However, if you are a large apartment complex, then your claims can range from a simple contract claim to having to evict tenants and sue for damages to the units. Having a debt collector that has experience and expertise in your business area is an important consideration. At Chaplin & Gonet we have handled thousands of accounts ranging from automobile subrogation to healthcare collection cases. Our attorneys and debt collectors have most likely helped a client with similar needs as yours and we can start working with you immediately.