Frequently Asked Questions

What type of liens can I file?

New York allows you to file:

• a garageman lien for repairs and storage after completion of repairs

• liens for towing a vehicle, which generally break down into traditional tows and police tows - those ordered by the police

• liens for parking and storage at a parking lot or garage.

What can I lien?

• Vehicles

• Motorcycles

• Boats

• Planes

• Storage unit contents

• Monuments, gravestones & cemetery structures

• Stone - that’s right, someone employed at a quarry, mine, yard or dock may have a lien on the stone

• Molds - not those found in homes, but those created, meaning dies, molds, forms or patterns

• Mare and foal, or cow and calf

• Animals and wagons, trucks, carts, carriages, vehicles or harnesses (if asserted by a licensed veterinarian)

• Silk goods and property (if asserted by someone engaged in manufacturing, spinning or throwing silk into yarn or other goods)

• Watches, clocks or jewelry (if asserted by someone performing work upon those items)

• Anything carted or trucked (if asserted by someone having performed service)

• Positive prints and negative films (if asserted by someone in a motion picture lab, or an aspect of the film production)

What’s the first step in asserting a lien?

Don’t give back the property! Unless you’ve been paid, of course.

Too often, the person or company that’s performed the work feels bad for the debtor (the person or company that owes money). They give up the one thing that helps them recover money - possession of the item (car, motorcycle, boat, plane, etc.).

If you’ve performed work at the request of the property owner (or someone authorized to “ok” the work) you can keep possession of the property. Then start the lien process. If paid, you return the property. Otherwise, it’s auctioned off to satisfy your lien.

What are your most common liens?

Vehicles top the list of items we’ve help clients lien and auctions. But, we’ve handled motorcycles, boats, planes and storage units.

Have something else on the list that you want to auction? Let us know. We’re ready to help!

How fast can you auction off a vehicle, etc.?

We pride ourselves on efficiency and compliance with the New York State law. Yes, we understand that you want your lien processed quickly. We will do our best to oblige. However, the average turnaround time for a vehicle lien is 30 to 40 days. Anyone promising you a faster turnaround time is, in our opinion, putting you at risk.

Please remember that to process a lien we need specific information. The faster we can collect that information from you, the faster we can process the forms and move towards an auction date!

Do you send someone to auction the items?

In New York City, yes! Every time.

New York City requires a licensed and bonded auctioneer handle the auction within the 5 boroughs. Therefore, yes, we send our auctioneer to every auction in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.

Where else do our auctioneers go?

• Long Island

• Hudson Valley

• Catskills

• Rockland

• Westchester,

• Capital Region (Albany)

What’s the benefit of having an auctioneer present?

Having an auctioneer present only helps our clients conduct the auction properly. If you live further upstate or to the west, please feel free to ask for an auctioneer. We’re happy to do what we can to serve you best!

Do I keep all the money from the auction?

No. You’re not entitled to keep it all.

You can keep the amount necessary to satisfy your lien (pay your bill). Anything you receive above and beyond that amount must be set aside by you/your company for the benefit of the owner or lien holder.

Have people come to collect their item or money after an auction?

Yes. It’s happened time and again. So, you need to be ready to pay the owner or lien holder if you auction the property off and receive more than the lien amount from the sale.