Consumer rights and creditor rights are not mutually exclusive.  As respects collection of a delinquent debt, a consumer has the right to be treated respectfully. A consumer has the right to obtain complete and accurate information on the debt. Consumer rights are protected by the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, or FDCPA a law put in place to shield consumers from abusive and deceptive practices by third party debt collection agencies.

The FDCPA is a very good law.

Consumers need to be protected from unprofessional collection agencies. You need only google “collection agency scam” to find a host of horror stories. Some of the news reported is not actually done by collection agencies, but by people pretending to be collection agencies to scam people by pretending to be the IRS, and so forth. Nevertheless, there are bad players among debt collectors – just as there are bad players in every industry. There are also many reputable collection agencies working hard to return money back to business owners and keep the economy moving.

Creditors also have rights, including the right to be paid for the work they do.

None of my clients want to work for free. Would you want to work and not be paid? Creditors have a responsibility to protect their right to be paid by communicating to their credit customers upfront the terms and conditions of their payment policy.

An effective debt collector stands at the intersection of consumer rights and creditor rights.

They are an advocate for their client – the creditor. The goal is and always should be to get the creditor paid. However, if consumer rights are protected, and the debt collector can clearly and professionally communicate with the consumer, chances of success are high.

Consumer debt collectors must be professional yet persistent. There really are instances where people have suffered a life even that leave them unable to pay. There are also instances when people do not take their responsibility to pay for services seriously. A good debt collector knows how to tell the difference.

So when does the process break down?

It breaks down when one or more of the parties neglect the rights of the other party. If a debt collector is abusive, chances are a consumer will take legal action. When a consumer does not respond to numerous requests for payment, then chances are the debt collection will progress and could impact the consumer’s credit rating or put the assets of the consumer in jeopardy. If a creditor is careless with their credit practices, and if they do not work in tandem with their collection agency, it will become difficult to get the best results.

Respect, professionalism and most importantly, communication are essential for all parties. Collection agencies must adhere to the law, and work with consumers to set up payment arrangements. Consumers should realize that when a debt is referred for outside collection, it is time to do something – even if that something is letting the agency know they cannot or will not pay. Creditors should trust and support their collection agencies, and give them all the tools they need to succeed.