Who Can Put A Lien On Your House?

Definition of "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…

Real Estate Advice:

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.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

A measure of actual starts of houses, condominiums, and apartment construction. When an economy is going to take a downturn, the housing sector is the first to decline. The strength in ...

Connected group of wires, woods, or other materials surrounding real property to either protect it or act as a barrier against others. ...

The vertical elements of a door or window frame which provide vertical support to the overall frame. ...

There’s no mystery. The actual age of a property is the chronological age of a property. Say a house was built two decades ago. That house’s actual age is 20 years old.The ...

If you’re a renter and you own a pet, you might be familiar with the term pet rent. There has been a lot of discussion about the meaning of pet rent and controversy as it isn’t ...

Sewer system built into the streets of a neighborhood that is capable of accommodating the excess water flow of a heavy storm without backing up or flooding. ...

A cost of funds index that most adjustable rate mortgages written in California in recent years are tied to. Computed by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, it reflects the cost ...

Same as term income statement: Also called profit and loss statement. A financial statement depicting a business entity's operating performance and reports the components of net income, ...

An individual's possessions at his residences, such as furniture. A listing of items and their costs is recommended to obtain proper insurance coverage and as support for insurance ...