After the mechanic’s lien is placed on your car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle, the service provider may be able to enforce the lien to be paid for the past-due debt. They may be able to sell the vehicle at a public auction or directly to a private third party. Again, this depends on your state’s lien laws. Before a public auction, the service provider usually must advertise the auction in a local newspaper, business magazines, or business and trade publications for a certain number of days or weeks.
The auto mechanic, tow company, or storage company may also be required to send notice of the sale via certified mail to the owner of the vehicle and all other lienholders that have a security interest in the vehicle, including the lender. The lienholders, including the lender, may want to attend the public auction and bid on the vehicle if they believe they could turn around and flip the vehicle for a profit once the priority and non-priority security interests have been paid off.
As mentioned, in Florida mechanics can file for a lien a week after doing the work and billing you. But in order to sell the vehicle, the service provider must give notice to anyone claiming a security interest in the vehicle within 15 business days from the beginning date of storage and accruing storage charges and storage fees on the vehicle. Other lienholders (like the lender) beyond the service provider may redeem, or acquire, the car by paying the redemption amount in the service provider’s notice. Alternatively, the interested lienholder or lender may recover possession of the vehicle without going to court by merely posting a bond with the court.
At Florida Lien Services, LLC we handle the whole process. Email your shop work order or tow ticket to info@FloridaLienServices.com and we will start the process that leads to a title under the shop’s name or the money owed for services rendered, within 60 days.