Veitch v. National Bank of Georgia

Decision Date09 September 1981
Docket NumberNo. 62373,62373
Citation159 Ga.App. 473,283 S.E.2d 686
PartiesVEITCH v. NATIONAL BANK OF GEORGIA.
CourtGeorgia Court of Appeals

Larry W. Yarbrough, Marietta, for appellant.

Stephen J. Knezo, Wayne C. Crowe, Atlanta, for appellee.

DEEN, Presiding Judge.

Veitch appeals from the grant of a deficiency judgment to the appellee after repossession and sale of his automobile following default in payment. The enumerations of error all raise a single question: the sufficiency of the evidence to show compliance with Code § 96-1007, which requires that the seller of a motor vehicle repossessed after default is not entitled to recover a deficiency unless within 10 days he sends notice by certified mail "to the address of the buyer shown on the contract, or later designated by said buyer" of his intention to do so.

The contract address given was "2650 Bentley Rd., Marietta, Georgia 30067." After default, appellee investigated the location of the vehicle and found that defendant Veitch lived at 2650 Bentley Road, Marietta, Georgia, an apartment complex, in Apartment 19-D. Prior checks from Veitch to the appellee had printed thereon his address as "2650 Bentley Rd., Apt. 19-D, Marietta, Georgia, 30066." The bank, treating this as the appellant's designated correct address, forwarded the certified 10-day letter there on December 7. It was returned to sender. The claim check recorded postal notices dated December 8 and December 13 plus failure to deliver because addressee unknown. The bank then sent a duplicate letter to the same address by first class mail. This letter was not returned nor was another letter which was mailed the following month.

Code § 96-1007 requires that the notice by certified mail be sent, but does not make its receipt a condition precedent to the deficiency resale. It does specify that it be sent to the contract address or that "later designated by said buyer." Except for the addition of the apartment number which is not contested the only change in address is that taken from the buyer's printed check showing his zip code to be 30066 rather than 30067. The stamped reason for failure to deliver the letter appearing on the envelope is not "insufficient address" but "unknown." Nevertheless, two letters sent by ordinary first class mail were not returned and were therefore presumably delivered to the address. The evidence is sufficient to support a finding that the printed address on the defendant's checks was a designated address (he...

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4 cases
  • Calcote v. Citizens & Southern Nat. Bank
    • United States
    • Georgia Court of Appeals
    • April 23, 1986
    ...sent proper notice, via certified mail, to the appropriate address and thereby complied with OCGA § 10-1-36. Veitch v. Nat. Bank of Ga., 159 Ga.App. 473, 283 S.E.2d 686 (1981). However, by its terms, OCGA § 10-1-36 must be read in conjunction with OCGA § 11-9-504(3). "This Code section is c......
  • Versey v. Citizens Trust Bank
    • United States
    • Georgia Court of Appeals
    • October 14, 2010
    ...notice should be sent. See Brack Rowe Chevrolet Co. v. Walls, 201 Ga.App. at 824-825(2), 412 S.E.2d 603; Veitch v. Nat. Bank of Ga., 159 Ga.App. 473, 473-474, 283 S.E.2d 686 (1981). Because the undisputed evidence supports the court's finding that the bank complied with OCGA § 10-1-36(a), t......
  • Jones v. State
    • United States
    • Georgia Court of Appeals
    • September 9, 1981
    ... ... Nos. 62341, 62342 ... Court of Appeals of Georgia ... Sept. 9, 1981 ...         Sharon A. Shade, Atlanta, for ... ...
  • Shell v. Tidewater Fin. Co.
    • United States
    • Georgia Court of Appeals
    • October 17, 2012
    ...or even an explicit statement of intent by the borrower: it may be made by course of conduct. See Veitch v. National Bank of Georgia, 159 Ga.App. 473, 473–474, 283 S.E.2d 686 (1981) (printed address on borrower's payment check can be “designated address”); Versey v. Citizens Trust Bank, 306......

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