How to Pay a Debt in Installments?
When debts are not paid on time, the creditor may use his legal right to initiate enforcement proceedings against the debtor. In this case, it may not always be possible to pay the entire debt; however, you can take some steps to restructure your debt with installment methods. Here is comprehensive information on how to pay your debt in installments:
1. Clarify the Debt Amount and Details
Clarifying all the details such as the total amount of the debt in enforcement proceedings, the accrued interest, and expenses is the first step to creating a real payment plan. This information can be obtained from the enforcement office looking at the enforcement file or from your file number.
Example: “Emre Bey’s credit card debt of 20,000 TL was transferred to enforcement. He learned the file details from the enforcement office and realized that his debt had increased to 24,000 TL in total after the interest and expenses were added.”
2. Have an Installment Meeting with the Creditor
You can contact the creditor or the attorney representing the creditor to pay your debt in installments. During this meeting, share your current payment status and suggest a suitable installment plan. Banks or financial institutions in particular may offer the opportunity to pay in installments with a certain down payment.
Example: “Mr. Emre met with the attorney representing the bank and made an agreement to pay his debt in 12 months. The first installment was paid in the form of a down payment.”
3. Submit a Payment Proposal to the Enforcement Office
If an agreement cannot be reached with the creditor, you can submit an installment proposal to the enforcement office to pay your debt in installments. If this proposal is forwarded to the creditor and accepted, the enforcement proceedings can be closed with installment payments. Creditor approval is required during this process.
Example: “Ayşe Hanım proposed to pay her debt in 6 monthly installments and applied to the enforcement office. When the creditor accepted this proposal, a payment plan was created.”
4. If Payment Order Is Objected, Wait for Court Decision
If all or part of the debt has been objected to and the trial process is ongoing, installment payments can be made on the new debt amount to be determined by the court. In this case, the court may offer a specific payment plan.
Example: “Veli Bey objected to the payment order on the grounds that a portion of his debt had been paid. The court decision only made installments for up to 24 months on the remaining amount.”
5. Offer a Down Payment Proposal
In installment agreements, you can offer a payment plan divided into installments by offering a certain amount of down payment. This can be a positive approach in terms of gaining the creditor’s trust and showing your desire to settle the debt.
Example: “Ebru Hanım offered to pay 25% of the enforcement debt in advance and divide the remaining amount into 8 installments. Upon this offer, the creditor offered an interest-free payment plan.”
6. Evaluate Debt Restructuring Campaigns
Banks and some institutions offer periodic debt restructuring campaigns. These campaigns may allow you to pay your debt in installments with long-term and favorable interest rates. Therefore, it is important to follow restructuring opportunities.
Example: “Hasan Bey evaluated the restructuring campaign offered by public banks and found the opportunity to pay his debt in 18 months under more favorable conditions.”
7. Give Installment Payment Instructions to Enforcement Offices
Instructions can be given to the enforcement offices to pay installments within a certain payment plan. In this case, the debt will be managed by the enforcement office in divided installments. This practice helps you create an easier payment plan.
Example: “Emine Hanım applied to the enforcement office to make regular installment payments every month. The office provided a decrease in the debt with interest with each installment payment.”
8. Keep Regular Track of Your Installment Payments
It is very important to pay the installments you agreed on regularly. Otherwise, the debt will enter the enforcement process again and the creditor may continue the seizure procedures. Therefore, it is important to make your installment payments regularly.
Example: “By paying his monthly installments regularly, Mr. Ali paid off his debt in full with the last installment and had the enforcement file closed.”
