What are the repossession laws in Georgia?

Answer 1

Georgia's Repossession Laws

• TITLE STATE: Yes
• SECURITY INTERESTS: Shown on title held by lien holder.
• LICENSE REGISTRATION: Georgia Motor Vehicle Division, 270 Washington Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30334. Tel: (404)362-6500.
• RECOVERY REQUIREMENT: As per UCC, repossession allowed without committing a breach of the peace.
• Plates no longer remain with the vehicle in Georgia, they are issued to the person now and are transferrable.

Repossession Actions

Your car can be seized by the repo company as soon as you are notified that you are in default of your loan.

If your car is worth say $5,000 - and you OWE $10,000 on it - after they repossess it - they will sell it (usually at auction) and if they get $3,000 - they will sue you for the balance of $7,000 - and they WILL garnish wages (50% of your paycheck after taxes) until the car is paid for! If the car is not running - again they can have it repaired and sue you for the repair bill! And DO NOT THINK that the repo guys and auction houses do not work together - of course they do! If you have a $35,000 car and the repo guy wants your car - (after they repo it) - they CAN auction it for $1500 to the repo guy - and YOU pay the $33,500 balance - and Mr. Repo is driving a $35,000 car for $1500!

By law, the company that finances the loancannot be the company that handles the repossession. But they are often companies that work together.

Also ANY improvements ALWAYS stay with the car. If you have a $2,000 stereo system - it stays with the car. Any personal belongings of yours inside the car must be returned to you by the repo company within 3 days. But without proff this is hard to enforce.

The repo company will usually take your car at night - and most are very good - they can hook it to a tow truck and be gone - usually in under 30 seconds!! They will go around the corner - then secure the car to the tow truck!! And if the car falls off the tow truck - YOU pay the damages!

A repo is on your credit history for 7 years - although it is common for them to disappear after 5 years!

Most states are 90 days late before repo-ing a car - but under the Bailout, GM's federal agreement overruled your state laws.