Menu
Home>Levelset Community>Legal Help>Is a Mechanics Lien valid or disputable if the amount of the Lien is greater than amount we owe the vendor?

Is a Mechanics Lien valid or disputable if the amount of the Lien is greater than amount we owe the vendor?

CaliforniaMechanics Lien

We have our window supplier place a lien on the property due to non-payment, We didn't receive a pre-lien. The mechanic's lien that was placed was for a value of $109,810.23, we actually only owe this vendor $77,339.69. Is this lien disputable? or a way to contest it so that it may be removed?

3 replies

Aug 18, 2020
In California, generally all parties must provide a preliminary notice in order to retain the right to file an enforceable mechanics lien. For parties who contract directly with the property owner, the preliminary notice is only required to be provided to the construction lender, if any. In California, a mechanics lien amount is limited to the reasonable value of the work provided by the claimant, or the price agreed to by the claimant and the person who contracted for the work (less payments already received), whichever is less. Liens can be challenged for any number of reasons - and there are a lot of nuances that must be complied with in order for a lien to be valid and enforceable. California allows a property owner to petition the court to release the property from a claim of lien, and in the event that the lien is improper there may be a cause of action for slander of title through which damages may be recoverable.
1 person found this helpful
Helpful
Aug 19, 2020

Good morning! You wouldn't have necessarily received the preliminary notice (I am assuming you are a glazing or related subcontractor) as the notice typically goes to the property owner, direct contactor, and lender (if any). Yes, if the lien is overstated, you should send a written notice (or have an attorney do it for you to grab their attenton) to clarify the overstatement and warn of the subsequent actions you may take if necessary to resolve the overstated mechanics lien claim.

1 person found this helpful
Helpful
Aug 19, 2020

An intentionally overstated lien may be rendered moot. That said, if you owe 77K to the vendor, why not pay that and fight over the difference?

0 people found this helpful
Helpful