What does it mean if a lien has been recorded?
If the balance on an account remains unresolved after the required notice period, the Association may proceed with recording a lien against the property.
If a lien is recorded, our office will send you a copy of the recorded lien along with additional correspondence regarding your account.
A recorded lien does not necessarily mean that foreclosure proceedings have begun. However, the account remains unresolved and additional fees, costs, and interest may continue to accrue.
You may still have options for resolving the account, including:
- Paying the balance in full
- Requesting a payment plan
- Requesting Meet & Confer with your Association to discuss your account and explore potential resolution options
- Contacting our office if you believe there is an error or a payment is missing
Please have your Severaid & Glahn file number or property address available when contacting our office.
Can I still resolve my account after a lien has been recorded?
Yes. Recording a lien does not prevent you from resolving your account.
Depending on your circumstances, you may still be able to pay the balance in full, submit a written payment plan request, request Meet & Confer with your Association to discuss potential resolution options, or contact our office if you believe the balance is incorrect or a payment is missing.
Payments must continue to be made through Severaid & Glahn rather than directly to the Association or management company while the lien-enforcement matter remains active.
If you are trying to pay the account in full, please review the most recent ledger provided by our office, including any Scheduled Increases/Balances shown. If your payment will be received after the dates shown on the ledger, contact our office for an updated balance.
What happens to the lien after I pay my account in full?
If a lien has been recorded against the property, paying the account in full does not immediately remove the lien from the public record.
After the full balance has been received and the account has been processed, our office will prepare and submit a lien release to the County Recorder.
The County Recorder must then process and record the release. Once the recorded release is returned to our office, a copy will be provided to the appropriate recipient.
Please allow time for this process to be completed. Payment of the account and recording of the lien release are separate steps, so the lien will not disappear from the public record immediately after payment is made.
How long does it take for a lien release to be recorded?
Recording a lien release is not immediate. After the account has been paid in full and the necessary processing has been completed, our office submits the lien release to the County Recorder.
The County Recorder then processes and records the document. Processing times may vary, and our office does not control how long the County Recorder takes to complete the recording.
Once the recorded release is returned to our office, a copy will be provided to the appropriate recipient.
Will I receive proof that the lien was released?
Yes. Once the lien release has been recorded by the County Recorder and the recorded document is returned to our office, a copy will be provided to the appropriate recipient.
Please keep the recorded lien release with your property records.
If you have paid your account in full but have not yet received a copy of the recorded release, please keep in mind that the recording process may still be underway.
Can I pay my Association directly after the lien is released?
Once your account with Severaid & Glahn has been closed and returned to the Association, future regular Association assessments may generally be paid directly to the Association or its management company.
Until you have been advised that your account with our office is closed, payments should continue to be made through Severaid & Glahn.
What if I am selling or refinancing my property?
If you are selling or refinancing a property while an account is being handled by Severaid & Glahn, a title company, escrow company, or other authorized party may need information regarding the amount necessary to resolve the account.
Please see our Payoff / Demand Requests page for information about requesting a payoff or demand.
Have questions about a recorded lien or lien release?
If you have questions about a lien recorded against your property, a payment you have made, or the status of a lien release, please contact our office.
Please have your Severaid & Glahn file number or property address available so we can locate your account.
