Pay for Delete Letter in California
An offer to pay a collection account in exchange for the collector asking the credit bureaus to remove it. Collectors are not required to agree; get any agreement in writing before you pay, and check your state's rules on whether a payment restarts the time limit to sue (below).
What California law says
| Can a payment restart the clock? | An acknowledgment or promise to pay extends the period only if it is in writing and signed by the debtor. A payment on a promissory note restarts the period for that note, but a payment by itself does not revive a debt that is already time-barred. Source: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 360 |
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| Time limit for credit cards and open accounts | 4 years for a book account, an account stated based on a written account, or the balance of a mutual, open and current account with written items. 2 years for a contract not founded on a writing, such as an oral agreement. |
Fill it in
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[today's date]
To: [collection agency name and address]
Re: Account [account number]
I am willing to pay $[amount offered] to resolve this account in full, on the condition that you ask each credit bureau to remove the account from my credit reports.
If you agree, please confirm these terms in writing on your letterhead before I send payment.
This letter is not an acknowledgment that I owe the debt.
[your name], [your address]
Pay for Delete Letter for other states · California tenant rights
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.