An involuntary lien is a charge made against property without the consent of the property owner, whereby the property is made security for payment of a debt owed and is considered a burden or encumbrance upon the property’s title.

One example of an involuntary lien is a Mechanics Lien, which gives the right to any person or company who has not been paid for labor, material, or time furnished towards the improvement of a property to file a lien on said property.

Given it’s effect on a property’s title, a mechanic’s lien must be signed under penalty of perjury and recorded at the county records office in order to be valid.

Even subcontractors have the right to file a mechanic's lien.

So that if your general contractor hires a subcontractor to work on your home but does not compensate the subcontractor for work performed on your property, you could have an involuntary lien placed on your home for payment.

If you have an involuntary lien on your property and need to refinance your mortgage the lien will have to be paid off at closing. Many times a involuntary lien will also report as derogatory public records on your credit report and will decrease your credit score.

A mechanics lien is an involuntary lien that is a claim against the property to compensate for work done that was not paid. Mechanics liens date back to the date work began on the property.

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