What Ohio Homeowners Should Know About Mechanic’s Liens And Construction Disputes
If you hire a contractor to improve your home, you expect the job to be done properly, and paid disputes are usually the last thing on your mind. But in Ohio, disagreements over construction work can quickly escalate into a mechanic’s lien, a powerful legal tool that can affect your property title and your ability to sell or refinance. Understanding how mechanic’s liens work is critical for homeowners facing construction or renovation disputes.
What is a mechanic’s lien?
A mechanic’s lien is a legal claim placed against real property by a contractor, subcontractor, supplier, or laborer who alleges they were not paid for work or materials provided. In Ohio, mechanic’s liens are governed by statute and must follow strict procedural rules. When properly filed, a lien attaches to the property itself, not just the person who ordered the work.
For homeowners, this means a payment dispute with a contractor can turn into a title problem, even if you believed the work was completed or paid for in good faith.
Who can file a lien and when?
In Ohio, general contractors, subcontractors, and even material suppliers can all potentially file a lien on a property, but the rules and deadlines vary depending on who’s filing and whether the property is residential or commercial.
To have a valid lien, a claimant usually needs to:
- Do qualifying work or provide materials for the project
- File the lien within the required timeframe (typically 75 days for residential jobs)
- Send the proper notice, if it’s required
The tricky part? If someone misses a deadline or skips a step, like failing to send notice, the lien could end up being worthless. A lot of homeowners aren’t even aware of these technicalities unless they’ve had a lawyer take a look.
How a mechanic’s lien affects homeowners
When a lien gets filed, it becomes part of the public record, which can cause some real headaches. It might:
- Block you from selling or refinancing your home
- Lead to foreclosure if the issue isn’t resolved
- Give the contractor some extra leverage in getting paid
That said, just because there’s a lien doesn’t mean the contractor is automatically right. Plenty of liens are disputed, padded with extra charges, or filed the wrong way. It’s not always black and white, and it’s smart to take a closer look before assuming anything.
Challenging or resolving a mechanic’s lien
If you’re a homeowner dealing with a lien, you’ve got a few options to consider:
- You can ask the contractor to prove they followed all the legal steps
- Try to work out a deal: sometimes that means a partial payment or agreeing to fix certain issues
- “Bond off” the lien, which basically removes it from your property while the dispute gets sorted out
- Or, if the lien seems unfair or exaggerated, you can challenge it in court
Each path comes with its own risks and costs, so getting legal advice early on can save a lot of trouble (and money) down the road.
Talk to a Columbus, Ohio, Mechanic’s Lien Attorney Today
Kohl & Cook Law Firm, LLC, represents the interests of Columbus residents who have had a mechanic’s lien filed against their property. Call our Columbus foreclosure defense lawyers today, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.
