How Long Does A Collector Have to Collect a Debt In Connecticut?

Going back to Biblical times, debts have always had a limited lifespan. By government regulation, the limits are known as Statutes of Limitation. Generally, these laws govern the time that an action can be brought to collect a debt in the state court system.

In Connecticut, enforcement of an oral contract is three years and written contracts are seven years. The Statute of Limitations is an affirmative defense meaning that it is up to you to raise it, if it is applicable.

Anyone can sue on any contract debt at any time, it is your burden to defend it. If you do nothing, then no Court will do your job for you. So if you are sued on an old debt, be sure to present the supporting facts to the Court.

What period of time determines the limitation?

It is not the time from the making of the contract or debt. Instead, it is the time from the last payment on the account or the last time you acknowledged owing the debt. For example, if you make a payment, however small, on a debt that has gone unpaid for a long time, you will reactivate the debt. The same is true if you acknowledge owing the debt in writing.

So when dealing with a collector on an old debt, be careful not to do anything that would give the collector new rights to renew the debt.