Seeing a car being repossessed is upsetting. There are no federal statutes regarding repossession and each state differs in regard to their own laws. A car can be reclaimed once it has been repossessed. But the person who was making payments has to meet certain criteria to make restitution before the vehicle is sold at auction for the creditor to recoup their loss.
According to the regulations in California, once a car has been repossessed, the person making payments must be notified within 48 hours of the repossession. While a sale can happen, the creditor or repossession agency must give 15 days notice of possible sale within 60 days of repossession of the vehicle. The car can be reclaimed if the person who was to be making payments gives the creditor all back payments for the car as well as paying any repossession fees during this time period.
According to Illinois laws, it is possible to reclaim the vehicle if it is repossessed by the creditor. If the borrower has paid 30 percent to 50 percent of the car's value, it is possible to get the car back by paying the missing car payments along with repossession fees and any due interest. This can only be done during the first 21 days after repossession and cannot be done if the car is repossessed a second time. If the borrower owes less than 30 percent, they will be required to pay the total amount due on the loan as well as repossession fees and interest. This can happen before the car is sold by the creditor.
If your car is repossessed in Ohio, the creditor has five days to notify the consumer of the repossession. To get the car back, that consumer must pay all back payments, repossession costs, as well as a deposit that can equal up to two monthly payments. If the consumer can not make these payments, they will be notified of the sale of the vehicle which can be combined with the repossession notice.
If a consumer realizes they are not able to make a payment for their vehicle, they should talk to the creditor and see what arrangements can be made. The lender might be willing to suspend payment for one month. Once the car has been recovered from repossession, it is important to keep payments on time to prevent a second repossession that can lead to a permanent loss of the car.
