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

In Washington, debt collectors must respond to a debt validation letter within five days. This is done to give debtors the opportunity to dispute the validity of the debt. A debt validation letter must include certain information about the debt, such as the balance owed, the date the debt was incurred, and the name of the creditor. The debt collector must then provide this information to the debtor, usually in writing. If the debt collector fails to respond to the debt validation letter within the five-day period, the debt may be considered invalid. This is because the debt collector has not provided the necessary information to validate the debt. In this case, the debt is discharged, or cancelled, and the debtor is not legally obligated to repay the debt. If the debt collector does respond to the debt validation letter within the five-day period, the debtor must then review the information provided and decide whether or not to dispute the debt. If the debt is disputed, the debt collector must provide the necessary documents to prove the debt is valid. In Washington, debt collectors are required to comply with the Collection Defense Law and respond to debt validation letters within five days. This gives debtors the necessary information to dispute the debt and protects them from dishonest debt collectors.

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

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