How long does a debt collector have to respond to a debt validation letter?

In Maryland, the collection defense law states that a debt collector has 30 days to respond to a debt validation letter. This means that if the debt collector receives a debt validation letter from the debtor, they have 30 days to respond with the requested information. This 30-day period starts when the debt collector is in receipt of the letter, not from when it was sent. The debt collector must provide the debtor with the requested information in their response. This includes details of the original creditor, the amount of the debt, the date when the debt was incurred, any fees or interest added to the debt, and a description of any goods or services provided by the original creditor. Additionally, the debt collector must provide information about the person to whom the debtor currently owes the debt and the address to which payment should be sent. The debt collector must send the response to the debtor to the address provided in the validation letter, and if they fail to do so or fail to respond within the 30-day period, the debtor may pursue legal action against the debt collector for violation of the collection defense law. It is important to note that even if the debt collector fails to respond to the debt validation letter, the debtor still owes the debt.

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How long does a debt collector have to respond to a debt validation letter?

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