If you’ve fallen behind on payments to Rent-A-Center or stopped returning their calls, the company has several tools it can use to collect what it’s owed, ranging from persistent phone calls to repossession and, in some states, even criminal charges. What Rent-A-Center can actually do depends on your state’s laws, how far behind you are, and whether you still have the merchandise. Here’s what you’re realistically facing.
They Will Call You Relentlessly
The first thing Rent-A-Center does when you miss a payment is contact you. Expect calls, texts, and visits from your local store’s employees. They typically start friendly and escalate from there. If you don’t respond, they may begin contacting the personal references you listed on your rental agreement. Complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau describe store employees calling customers’ family members and even their workplaces to track them down or pressure them into paying.
Some of these tactics cross legal lines. Federal and state debt collection laws generally prohibit disclosing someone’s debt to third parties like coworkers or family members. However, rent-to-own companies occupy a legal gray area because they technically own the merchandise until you’ve paid it off, which means some consumer debt collection rules don’t apply to them the same way they apply to, say, a credit card company. That said, if a store employee calls your boss and tells them you owe money, that may still violate your state’s debt collection laws.
They Can Repossess the Merchandise
Because Rent-A-Center owns the items until you complete all payments, the company has the right to take them back if you default. But there are hard limits on how they can do it.
A repossession agent cannot enter your home without permission. If the item is visible and accessible outside your house, on a porch for example, an agent can legally take it. But they cannot walk through your front door uninvited, move your belongings to access the item, or do anything that would “breach the peace,” a legal term that essentially means cause a confrontation or disturbance. If you tell them to leave your property, they have to go.
The agent can ask to come inside, and if anyone living in your household gives permission, that counts. If you refuse, the company can go to court for an order granting access to your property. With a court order in hand, they can involve law enforcement to retrieve the merchandise, but even then, they cannot break in on their own.
Criminal Charges Are Possible in Some States
This is the consequence most people don’t see coming. In many states, keeping rented property past the contract period without returning it or making payments can be treated as criminal theft, not just a civil debt. These laws were written with input from the rental industry lobby and have been on the books for decades.
The way it typically works: you sign a rental agreement, stop paying, and don’t return the item. The company then sends you a certified letter demanding you return the merchandise. If you don’t respond, you’re legally presumed to have stolen the property. In some states, the law doesn’t even require that you received the letter, only that the company mailed it. Depending on the value of the item, this can result in misdemeanor or felony theft charges.
Federal law prohibits debt collectors from threatening people with jail. But because rent-to-own companies are technically recovering their own property rather than collecting a debt, that protection often doesn’t apply. BBB complaints describe Rent-A-Center employees telling customers and their family members that felony charges would be filed, which can be a legitimate warning or an illegal scare tactic depending on your state and whether charges are actually being pursued.
Late Fees Add Up Quickly
If you miss a payment, Rent-A-Center charges late fees on top of what you already owe. The company doesn’t publish a standard fee schedule publicly, and the specific amount depends on your agreement and your state’s regulations. Payments are due by 11:59 PM local time on your due date, with no built-in grace period after that.
Rent-A-Center says it will work with customers who contact their store before the payment due date to arrange a late payment or accommodation. Whether that actually helps depends on the store manager’s discretion. If you know you’re going to miss a payment, calling ahead gives you the best chance of avoiding extra fees or escalation.
Your Credit Score Probably Won’t Be Affected
Rent-A-Center does not report payment history to the three major credit bureaus. This means that missing payments or defaulting on a rental agreement won’t show up on your credit report, at least not directly from Rent-A-Center. However, if the company eventually sends your account to a third-party collection agency, that collections account could appear on your credit report and drag your score down. A collections entry can stay on your credit report for up to seven years.
They Can Sue You in Civil Court
Beyond repossession and potential criminal charges, Rent-A-Center can file a civil lawsuit against you for the remaining balance on your agreement, unpaid late fees, or damages to the merchandise. If they win a judgment, the court can authorize wage garnishment or bank account levies depending on your state. A civil judgment also becomes a public record, which can complicate future credit applications even if the original Rent-A-Center account was never reported to the bureaus.
What You Can Do Right Now
If you’re behind on payments and worried about what happens next, you have a few options. The simplest is to return the merchandise. Rent-A-Center agreements are structured so you can return items at any time without penalty beyond losing whatever you’ve already paid. You won’t own the item, but you also won’t owe anything further.
If you want to keep the item but can’t make the scheduled payment, call your store before the due date and ask about a modified payment arrangement. Some stores will temporarily reduce payments or push your due date back. If the store is already calling you, picking up and negotiating a return or a revised schedule is almost always better than ignoring them, because silence is what triggers the escalation to repossession, collections, or criminal referrals.
If you believe Rent-A-Center employees have crossed the line by disclosing your debt to your employer, threatening criminal charges they aren’t actually pursuing, or entering your home without permission, document what happened. Save voicemails, note the dates of calls, and file a complaint with your state attorney general’s office or the Better Business Bureau. These records matter if you need to challenge illegal collection practices later.