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14. Does the legal owner have to notify me before taking my vehicle?
No. The legal owner is not required to notify you before your vehicle is repossessed. However,
the legal owner must notify you in writing within 60 days that you have 15 days to arrange to get
your car back before it is sold. If the vehicle was repossessed by a licensed repossession
agency, the agency must notify you within 48 hours that they have repossessed your vehicle
and must furnish you with a list of the personal items in the vehicle at the time it was
repossessed.
15. Can they repossess my vehicle if I have only missed one payment?
Yes. The conditions under which the vehicle may be repossessed are subject to the terms of the
sales contract signed by you at the time you bought your vehicle. However, some legal owners
will work with you to bring your payments up to date, even though they are not required by law
to do so. If you expect a problem in making payment, you should contact the legal owner to
make other arrangements for payment.
16. Can they take my car at 4 a.m., or while I am in the grocery store?
As long as the repossessor agency employee does not enter any private building or any secured
area he or she may take your vehicle at any time from any location. This does not mean that the
repossessor agency employee can do anything that is illegal. The repossessor agency employee
must obey the same laws that pertain to everyone.
17. Can a repossessor agency employee agent break my gate, unlock my garage, move other
vehicles, or trample my landscape while trying to take my car?
No. Repossessor agency employees are prohibited from entering any private building or secured
area without the consent of the owner or the person in legal possession of the property. This
includes any locked and fenced area. Any damage to buildings, fences, landscaping, or other
vehicles should be reported to the police. In addition, a complaint should be filed with the
Bureau
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. To get your money back for damaged personal property or real property, you will
probably have to go to small claims court or hire an attorney. The Bureau has no jurisdiction to
get your money back for damaged personal property.
18. Should I hide my vehicle or physically protect it from the repossessor agency employee?
No. A repossession agency with authorization from the legal owner will attempt to take your
vehicle for the legal owner. If you hide the vehicle to avoid repossession, you may give up your
right to continue with the same contract with the legal owner.
19. Can a repossessor agency employee threaten my family or me?
No. A repossessor agency employee may not use violence or force in attempting to repossess
a vehicle. If violence or force occurs, contact the police immediately. A repossessor agency
employee may not use false or misleading statements or make threats in order to take your
vehicle.
20. What happens to my personal belongings in the car after my car has been repossessed?
Licensed repossession agencies are required to make a list of all personal belongings found in
a vehicle at the time of repossession. They are required to send you at your last known address
of record, within 48 hours, a notice containing this list and informing you how to recover your
personal belongings and the amount of storage fees owed, if any.
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https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/complaint.pdf