Collections, Repossessions, Utilities

This article summarizes all 2022 FDCPA published circuit court of appeals decisions. Of special note are seven decisions on constitutional standing. Other topics include the unsophisticated consumer standard, attorney fees, the bona fide error defense, FDCPA intersection with TILA, FDCPA scope, third-party communications, FDCPA claims based on state law, and sanctions.

This article provides practical tips for advising clients with debt incurred by an abusive partner through coercion and fraud—developing a safety plan, documenting the coerced debt, protecting bank accounts, dealing with unauthorized credit card use, preventing an abuser from opening new accounts in the victimized partner’s name, addressing coerced debt on a credit report, and dealing with home mortgages.

A new CFPB advisory opinion not only clarifies when “pay-to-pay” fees are prohibited, but also whether a wide array of other debt collector charges violate the FDCPA. This article provides numerous examples of potentially illegal debt collector charges under the just-announced standards. A Truth in Lending Act provision provides even stronger remedies for fees added to automated payments for credit card debt.

This article provides ten pleading tips when bringing Fair Debt Collection Practices Act claims based on the new requirements found in CFPB Regulation F. The article then surveys recent federal court complaints alleging Regulation F violations as indicative of the violation patterns emerging in the six months since the Regulation’s effective date. The article links to the full text of complaints illustrating the types of violations being alleged.

This article examines the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) access to broadband for low-income household. The article explains what the ACP offers, who can obtain benefits, and how to apply. With over 11.5 million households already enrolled in ACP, consumer practitioners need to know how to help clients with enrollment and to advise those already enrolled as to their rights. As the COVID...

This article provides advice to consumers in dealing with debt collectors, taking into consideration new consumer rights and new consumer risks flowing from federal rules that just went into effect on November 30, 2021. The article: provides nine ways to stop debt harassment, with sample letters; explains the limits of what collectors can really do; and lists illegal debt collection conduct that can lead to consumer claims.

This article provides tenant tactics to deal with rental debt: responding to negative tenant screening reports that prevent access to new housing; challenging the rental amount claimed as due; other defenses to rental debt collection lawsuits and eight ways for the tenant to recover attorney fees in that litigation; tenant rights after a court judgment for the landlord; and tenants’ affirmative litigation for the collector’s litigation abuse.

This article reviews a very active 2021 concerning the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): significant new FDCPA regulations took effect, a Supreme Court decision significantly impacts standing in FDCPA cases, and 21 appellate court panels issued important FDCPA published decisions.

Nursing homes too often sue without justification not only residents, but family members or caregivers for amounts that can exceed $100,000. This article introduces defenses that residents and especially third parties can raise to these collection lawsuits. Affirmative claims that can be brought against the collection attorney and nursing home are examined, and additional resources are provided.

This article introduces the new Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Reg. F, that went into effect November 30. The article provides links to totally rewritten NCLC chapters explaining the new rules in-depth. It also provides a handy list of new Reg. F provisions on debt collector use of emails and texts to collect debts and make required disclosures.