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.
Start the letter by identifying yourself and the property. The lender will need to identify your loan, so include an account number. Give them your name, address and contact information. Tell the lender that you are voluntarily giving the item back because you can no longer make the payments.
Dear Borrower Name: You are hereby notified that your description of motor vehicle, year, make, model and VIN #, was lawfully repossessed on Date because you defaulted on your loan with Credit Union Name. The vehicle is being held at location address of vehicle. be sold at public sale.
Generally, cars are repossessed once payments are 90 days in default. Just don't expect lenders to give you a heads-up when the Repo Man will come calling. They typically contract that work out to towing services that specialize in snatching cars.
Trying to reinstate or redeem your auto loan typically has to happen within a short time period, such as about two weeks, so you could have your car back soon after it's repossessed. You may have to wait longer, perhaps several months, if the car is sold at auction due to the time of the auction process.
New York gives you the right to redeem or get back your repossessed vehicle by reinstating the contract. You reinstate your contract by paying any late/missing payments plus repo expenses such as towing, storage, and legal fees. But you must act quickly to do this.
Although court judgments no longer appear on credit reports or factor into credit scores, they're still part of the public record. If a lender looks up your public records, this could make it harder to qualify for future loans.
You can also use websites like Carfax, Auto Trader, Buy It Now, eBay and CarsDirect. All these websites provide information about repossessed cars.
Repossession happens when a lender takes back a car because the borrower has fallen behind on payments. Repo agents use personal details, social media, and tools like GPS trackers and license plate scanners to find vehicles.