A creditor cannot repossess a house or land. Instead, it must foreclose on a mortgage or sue you in court. A creditor cannot come into your house without your permission to take back your possessions, even if you are behind on the bill.

Any item used to secure a loan or a line of credit can be subject to repossession if the debt goes into default. This can include your home (which means foreclosure), your car or any other item that you purchased with credit, such as furniture, electronics, appliances, boats and motorcycles.

Creditors usually only have a right to charge you storage fees pertaining to the car itself. So, the repo agent hired by a creditor to take the car also can't charge you money or a "convenience fee" to let you get your things back before the vehicle is towed away.

An applicant for a repossession title must submit: (1) The actual or certified copy of the mortgage instrument; (2) A completed Repossession Affidavit (OTC Form 737); (3) A copy of the certified letter of notice to other lienholders, if applicable; and (4) A properly executed lien release.

If your vehicle is repossessed, you may be able to get it back, but simply filing for bankruptcy will not be enough to force the lender to return the car. In Alabama, as Alabama Legal Help points out, once the lender repossesses the car, you cannot regain possession of the car through a bankruptcy filing alone.

Repossession Certificates of Title are issued to lienholders upon default of payment. In the event the lienholder cannot obtain the signature of the mortgagor: If the title is in an electronic format, presentation of the title is not required.

Under Alabama law, a lender with a security interest may repossess property as soon as a single payment is past-due, unless the contract says otherwise.