The Repo Man Got Me!!!

Hi!.. I live in Oklahoma.  Last night, while was in the store shopping, my car was taken from the parking lot.  It was repossessed but I do not believe that I owe what they say I owe.  I have never had a payment book, but have bank statements, canceled checks etc... to prove what I have paid.  But, I have no idea what I am doing!!!  I have never dealt with this before and I don't know where to look for my information.  The best result I got from Google was this site here. 

What are my rights?  Can they legally come snatch my car from the store like that at midnight and leave me stranded?  When I called the repo company today, they told me I would have to pay them $55 before they would tell me what lot my car is at or allow me to get my personal items (medicine, work supplies, dvd player etc...).  They said its a processing fee for removing and storing my items as they don't know when they will transport the car?.!?  Is that legal and if so how?  Can they charge me to give me my personal items back (which, by the way, they took to OKC, over an hours drive from me)?

Please someone point me in  the right direction???

Thanks in advance!

"I have never dealt with this before and I don't know where to look for my information."

You start by calling the lender.  You have either made your payments on time and in full or you haven't. 

"Can they legally come snatch my car from the store like that at midnight and leave me stranded?"

If you haven't made the payments, Yes. 

"Is that legal and if so how?" 

Apparently in OK it is legal.  There are few rules in OK regarding reposessing vehicles. 

"Can they charge me to give me my personal items back (which, by the way, they took to OKC, over an hours drive from me)?"

Their lot and company, their rules.  The lot is where it is.  What ever company the lender contracted with they are not obligated to be close to you.

Although I appreciate a response, you didn't give direct, factual answers to my questions.  Your opinion of what may or may not be legal in Oklahoma is really of no help to me.  I need facts.  Where are the laws written? Who governs repossession practices?

Again "Their lot and company, their rules." doesn't give me a clue as to what my rights are.  Based on that information, I could say 'My car, my stuff, my rules' and just go take [it][?!

BTW: I did talk to the finance company, and I can prove that I owe them less than what they say I do.  How do I go about that?

krisalane:

Although I appreciate a response, you didn't give direct, factual answers to my questions. Your opinion of what may or may not be legal in Oklahoma is really of no help to me. I need facts. Where are the laws written? Who governs repossession practices?

Here's a summary of the OK repo laws:

http://www.lawdog.com/...

Where statute numbers are given you can look them up and read them at:

http://www.lsb.state.o...

krisalane:

BTW: I did talk to the finance company, and I can prove that I owe them less than what they say I do. How do I go about that?

Proving that you owe less that what they say is not the issue. The issue is whether you've been making your payments on time.

What did the lender say about the payments?

And while you are answering that, please take out your loan contract and have it in front of you. I'll have some questions about it that might lead to helpful comments.

Hi Thanks for answering.

I have been past due on several payments.  However they state the last payment they recieved from me was in July, I have a cancelled check from Sept.  Etc.....lots of little flub ups in the accounting.

krisalane:

I have been past due on several payments.

That might explain what happened.

When you were past due on several payments, you might have accrued late charges and penalties that weren't addressed when you made your subsequent payments on time.

In other words, even though you made recent payments on time and at the regular amount, you might have amounts still in arrears that haven't been paid and after a certain amount of time the lender ordered the repo.

I think the bottom line here is that if you want your car and your stuff you pay what the lender says you owe (if the lender won't budge on the amount your car and your stuff are hostages) and the repo man's fees, and then argue the amounts after you get your car and your stuff back.

You can always get a refund if you can prove your overpayment.

And if you want to kill time and debate it,  the impound fees probably add up like flies on meat out in sun on a hot day.