What Happens If the Repo Agent Doesn't Find Your Car? But if you make it hard for the repo agent to get it, then the creditor may use another method to get the car back, called "replevin." Replevin can be just as costly as a repossession, if not more so.
So how long will a repo man look for a car? The answer is simple — until they find it. Therefore, rather than hiding your car, it's probably a better idea to look for different solutions to stopping repossession. If you want to keep your car and are in financial trouble, talk to a bankruptcy attorney.
Under Texas laws, your possessions can be repossessed if you have defaulted on a loan that is secured by that property. This means that you pledged the thing you were buying as collateral to secure the loan, and if you fail to make the required payments, the lender has the right to repossess it to recover the debt.
Continue searching: The lender may continue to search for the vehicle, either through the repo agent or by hiring a private investigator. File a lawsuit: The lender may file a lawsuit against the debtor to recover the outstanding loan balance.
When your car is repossessed, your lender must sell the vehicle in a “commercially reasonable manner.” Once the car is sold, the lender must reduce your loan by the amount sold. If you still owe on your loan AFTER the sale, you have a “deficiency” and can be sued for the amount.
That means you are liable for the entire balance, plus interest and late fees. It would be up to the bank whether to reinstate that loan. As part of that process, they are certainly going to ask for information from you that will enable them to learn where you are repossess the car.
The process involves: Filing a Complaint: The plaintiff must file a detailed complaint, specifying the property and asserting their ownership or right to possession. Notice and Hearing: The defendant is given notice, and a hearing is scheduled. The plaintiff must prove their claim to the property.
Procedure for Obtaining, in Court, a Writ of Replevin The filing of a complaint begins a replevin action. As in other civil actions, the defendant is brought into Court by the service of the summons and the complaint. If the plaintiff establishes the cause of action, the Court must enter an Order granting possession.
The process of starting a replevin action usually begins with filing a complaint. It also requires filing an affidavit in the county or district court where the property is. The affidavit: States that the plaintiff claims rightful ownership or entitlement to possession of the property.
The Complaint: The complaint in replevin typically must include: (i) a description of the property to be replevied; (ii) its value; (iii) its location if known; and (iv) the material facts upon which the claim is based – in other words, why the filing party is entitled to seize the property that has been taken.