The world of repo men and women is something of which most know very little. Show's like Tru TV's "Operation Repo" shed a little light on the industry
Although it's often more fiction than reality. But certified repo companies like R and R Recovery in Sheffield, Illinois will tell you it's an industry with very few regulations.
"Repossession companies have had for years carte blanche, it's called self help. With self help it just means you can go upon their property pick up the car and there's nothing anybody can say or do about it," says Rick Constantine owner of R and R Recovery.
For the last nine years he's been working to reform his industry. And on July first of this year Illinois will become just the fourth state in the country to require repo companies to be licensed. Constantine says this means repo men will finally be held accountable.
"They're going to have to make sure they follow the law. They're not going to be able to break into garages; they can't get into fights with the debtors. They can't cut locks, they can't smash windows," explains Constantine.
Under Illinois' new Collateral Recovery Act repo companies will have to abide by a standard set of laws set up by the Illinois Commerce Commission.
More importantly the debtors who're having their cars repossessed will finally have somewhere to turn to if repo companies cross the line.
"You do now have a place to go and tell your side of the story. We've never had that option in the past. We now have it now," says Constatine.
Under the new law, which take effect July first, repo companies from Iowa will not be allowed to cross into Illinois to repossess anything without the proper license from the Illinois Commerce Commission.