Does Best Buy repossess?

[ohiogal]

Hi all,

I filed chapter 7 in March, had 341 today, and so far the only creditor to make any noise is Best Buy.

In 2008 I bought a new computer to replace my 2000 model, because I work in graphic design and needed a new computer to do job work. I bought a laptop later the same year, for the same reason.

My attorney has told me that - theoretically- Best Buy wants everything I ever bought on their card back - the two computers, a stereo I bought in 2007 and no longer own, and, I'm assuming, every DVD and CD I ever bought from them.

She said we can make them an offer to keep the stuff - and we did, for about a fifth of what I owe - but I'm wondering, is Best Buy going to come knocking on my door and repo my computers? Are they going to rifle through my DVD collection looking for stuff I bought in 2004? They can have the laptop back, I don't use it that much, but my atty said they take everything in a lump, so it all goes back or nothing goes back.

Has anyone here had experience dealing with Best Buy? Should I back up my hard drive in case they come knocking in the middle of the night? My atty said BB almost never bothers to repo an amount as small as mine (about $2300), but I wanted to hear what others had to say...

I don't want to lose my computer. I have a half-finished novel on this thing!

[Brazzy]

I would suggest getting a back up to the novel. This is not common, but its not unheard of either. It started with jewelry companies doing this and Best Buy has done it too. Basically they show the exact item that they financed and that its a luxury item. Hope your lawyer can fight them off but if he's talking settlement I would assume BB has all their bases covered.

[tigergem]

That's just bizarre. If that is their stance, then you should be able to return it to the store for full merchandise credit, right? Yeah, have you ever tried to return a used CD? Uh huh.

[DeadManCrawling]

Ten dollars for a 20 gig memory stick.

I also write novels, mostly for fun, none published as yet. I've written 6 so far, one of them topping out at 550 pages. That one, in Word format, took up 1.5 meg or so. Relative to the cost of backing up, that is nothing.

Here are a few things I do to make sure I don't lose anything to theft, crashes, or unseen calamity:

Memory sticks, as above.

Burn CD's occasionally.

Set up a Gmail or other account, and email copies periodically. This is free storage, many gigs, and easily accessible from anywhere. It is gold for the novelist.

Don't forget to back up research materials, bookmarks, and citations if you need them.

There is no good reason to have only one copy, and that on a laptop subject to the whim of the repo-man! Hope you can use some of the ideas, and good luck in yer writin'!!

Best,

-dmc

[catleg]

Remember that if BB really, really wants it, they'll have to:
(a) file proof of claim as a SECURED debt. Check your claims register on Pacer.
(b) file for relief from automatic stay to repossess collateral. they aren't going to knock on your door at 2:30 am without any warning.
In my experience all of the consumer debt type places file as unsecured creditors: Dell, Home Dept, Kohls.
I don't have BB as a creditor so I can't say anything about them in specific.
As others have suggested you need to backup your files. Disk drives are flaky. I've had several computers go bad in the past few years from drive failures. Others just run for years and years. There's no way to predict. But when you start hearing funny clicking noises from your computer, the end is near for that hard drive.

[paulkchoi]

I still have the 24" IMAC from BB. Haven't heard anything from them and its been 55 days since the 341.

[gimpymacc]

We filed chapter 7 in Oct. 09' discharged in Jan. 2010 and owed BB $3,900 (new TV & CPU), got a letter from BB's Attorney (Bass & Associates) in Arizona to either make an offer or they wanted their stuff. When I talked to the attorney for Bass, she listed everything I ever purchased on the BB Credit card, not only the recent ones. Told her most of the stuff was paid for because it was old debt and the new cpu I had was damaged and no longer owned it. We agreed to settle the $3,900 for $667 and I was able to make three monthly payments directly to the attorney who paid BB. Sent in the last payment earlier this week. I also get emails from BB saying that a payment has been made to the account. My attorney said they do have a right to their stuff if they want it and in my case they wanted their stuff. It was all done by phone and they never threatened to come to my house to see what items I had or did not have.

[Maquitagirl]

Best Buy is not coming to get your stuff. They will call you or send you letters saying that they will, but they are trying to get you to settle with them. My friend bankrupted on them $4500, two years ago. They called her twice and she said if you want it, come get it. They have never came and got the stuff. They have a right to it, that is correct. Will they really use that right, NO.

[Faust]

We paid BB $800.00 for a TV about a year old to settle our debt with them. We actually had a total bill of $1900.00.

[ladyjenn]

We also have about $1600.00 on a BB card. All put on there since December 2009. Computers, printer and ink. We have paid on them all along until this month when we decided to file....

What are the chances of them coming to get them? I would think not good, but I wouldn't mind working a deal with them for a fraction of what is owed. How do they usually work out settlement figures? Do they come up with the number, (I would think they would try to get more, than I am willing to pay) or do I tell them what I think we can afford?

[catleg]

People need to get out of the debt settlement mindset.

If your lawyer gets such a letter from them, then you offer the stuff back. They will never come get it, simple as that.

They really do not want any used merchandise back. They (the lawyers) just want to send a letter and get money back, from which they take a healthy cut.

Just say no.

[ladyjenn]

People need to get out of the debt settlement mindset.

If your lawyer gets such a letter from them, then you offer the stuff back. They will never come get it, simple as that.

They really do not want any used merchandise back. They (the lawyers) just want to send a letter and get money back, from which they take a healthy cut.

Just say no.

OK...they can come and get it....
OOPS...just spilled a drink on it! LOL

[MSbklawyer]

oops...just spilled a drink on it! Lol

Good girl!! ;)

[ohiogal]

Just to update...my debts were discharged as of Thursday (YAY!!) and I never heard back from Best Buy. Can they take any action after the discharge? I'm guessing my attorney never heard anything from them because she never contacted me saying so...

[catleg]

You're free and clear. Technically the computer and stuff were assets of the bankruptcy estate (possibly exempted), they did not make a claim against them, so with the discharge, the debt is extinguished and clear ownership of the assets passes back to you.