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A debt collection agency engaged a law firm to send me a letter of demand. The debt is 5 years old and I am not aware of it until I received the demand letter. From my perspective, I don't owe the debt. I asked for more info but they decided to waive it instead.

Do I implicitly acknowledge the debt by accepting the waiver?

I don't know enough about the subject matter to provide the needed context or to ask a good question. Please let me know if I'm lacking clarity and I'll try to elaborate. Thank you

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  • How do you envisage "accepting" the waiver? Did they ask you to?
    – Greendrake
    Commented Nov 13, 2022 at 6:50
  • Perhaps "accepting" in this context means "declining to contest". From a layperson's perspective, the waiver might be seen as a proposed "settlement" of sorts, in which the debtor implicitly admits that the debt is valid and in return the collector agrees not to pursue payment at this time. Choosing not to respond would be interpreted as accepting that "settlement".
    – David Z
    Commented Nov 13, 2022 at 7:30
  • @Greendrake A member asked similar question but my comment has disappeared. They didn't ask but informed me they have waived it.
    – CheeseBeer
    Commented Nov 13, 2022 at 9:01
  • @DavidZ Thanks! Yes, you are right! "Declining to contest" is more appropriate in this context and if it will be interpreted as accepting the settlement.
    – CheeseBeer
    Commented Nov 13, 2022 at 9:24

1 Answer 1

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You don’t “accept” a waiver

Waiving a right is a unilateral action - you aren’t involved. You can neither accept it nor reject it.

What you can do is rely on that waiver as an estoppel to them changing their mind latter.

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  • thanks! Never know it works this way. Since it is a unilateral action, I can neither accept it nor reject it, does that mean a waiver should not be considered as a resolution to the case. It also does not mean I have acknowledged the debt?
    – CheeseBeer
    Commented Nov 13, 2022 at 9:13

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