Who Can Put A Lien On Your House?
You know what is the truest answer to “who can put a lien on your house”?
Yourself.
We’re not trying to be smart here; it’s the truth. Failing to pay up a debt is what gives way for a lien to be put on an asset like a house, so, a broad answer to who can put a lien on your house is “almost anyone”, but if you pay up everything correctly the answer becomes “no one” – doesn’t that mean that, in the end, the person responsible for putting the lien on the house is yourself.
But yes, we know what you mean by “who can put a lien on your house”. You’re not interested in knowing that the person who puts (assigns) a lien to the house is a judge either; you want some specifics of the most common people that sue and obtain a judgment lien, right?
The IRS is a big lien holder. And their lien is statutory (automatic). No need for your consent or a lawsuit; if you fail to pay a lot of taxes, they can record a lien to recuperate the value owed.
Contractors can put your house on a lien if you don’t pay in full. And here’s a scary thing: maybe you did even pay in full but the contractor skipped one payment to the subcontractors. The subcontractor can put a lien on the house even though you did your part!
Ex-spouses typically put liens on the house as a way to guarantee the money they are owed if you fail to pay for child support and alimony.
And, of course, mortgages. But this one is voluntary; you agreed to have a lien put on your house when you signed the mortgage papers – and they weren’t even fine lines…
Now that we answered who can put a lien on your house, let us say this: if you’ve passed the “who” and is wondering “how to stop a lien on your property”; get a real estate lawyer! You won’t stand a chance without it.
Popular Real Estate Questions
Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms
Provision in a commercial lease providing a financial allowance for a tenant to finish the interior of a building according to individual requirements. ...
Writ issued by the court requiring a person to appear as a witness or to provide written information in the case. A contempt of court citation may occur for failure to observe the subpoena. ...
(1) Written statement by a responsible individual or entity of the correctness and reliability of something. (2) Written permission to do something, such as receiving a real estate ...
The right to deviate from the use of land prescribed by an existing zoning ordinance. ...
Portion of a construction loan withheld by a lender from a contractor until all construction work is satisfactorily completed or sufficient space is rented in a floor loan. The holdback ...
Tank placed beneath the ground to accumulate sewage. ...
Continuous beam on top of supporting walls, usually constructed of concrete and often having steel rods for additional strength placed within it. Supplies lateral support as well as ...
Earthquake insurance is the type of insurance policy that specifically covers damages to your real estate caused by seismic activities. It can refer both to the rare coverage against ...
An insect, such as a termite, that "eats into" the wood and destroys it. This can cause significant damage to the home. Most states have laws that require termite inspection and ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.