Hello, I had some solar panels installed on my property and a subcontractor placed a mechanical lien on my property for the work. How can I pay it off and get it removed?
If the contractor will not voluntarily remove it, and the contractor's time to enforce the lien has expired, you need to file, with the court, a Petition to Expunge the lien. On the upside, you can recover your attorneys' fees if you are forced to file the petition.
You should speak with a construction attorney about your situation, as there are various options that should be looked at before you chose what to do. Your choice will need to be based on a clear understanding of your relationships with the various parties and what actually happened. Otherwise, here are some options: (1) you can contact the Subcontractor and ask why it was not paid by the General Contractor and if you paid the General Contractor, you should call them and tell them that if the subcontractor is not paid immediately and the lien removed, you will contact the California State Contractors Board and file a complaint; (2) if the Subcontractor is still not paid and you want to remove the lien, you can pay the subcontractor and then file a complaint with the Board and see if they can make the General Contractor pay your money back; or (3) you can sue the General Contractor for your cost in paying off the Subcontractor. Good Luck.