I had a house renovated in NY state. General contractor was hired with a fixed price for the work. Unbeknownst to me, he subcontracted the work out. GC didn't fully pay the subcontractor. Sub Contractor has now put a mechanic's lien on my property and is charging me by the hour and it is more than the price that I contracted for originally. I'm in no hurry to sell. There is no equity in the house between the first mtg. and another lien already placed on the house so I don't think they will foreclose. Can I just ignore it and "wait it out" for a year or two until it expires? Thanks Jay B
Ordinarily there is no requirement to respond to a mechanic's lien, and "waiting it out" is one option. You can also demand that the lienor foreclose the lien, if you want to have the fight about the contracted value of the work sooner rather than later. I would be happy to chat with you to discuss your options.