When someone in Ohio owes you a debt but refuses to pay it, you have options when it comes to how you might go about trying to recover what the non-paying party owes you. Depending on the circumstances, you may try to utilize traditional debt collection tactics – or you might try something along the lines of filing a lien on the indebted party’s home.
According to Upsolve.org, as a creditor, you may be able to secure a court order that gives you the right to do certain things in your effort to collect what someone owes you. If the party who owes you money owns real estate, then you may be able to obtain a judgment lien that essentially forces the sale of that individual’s home.
How liens on real estate work
If you win a civil judgment in court against the party that refuses to pay you, you may then ask for permission to file a lien against the non-paying party’s property. This makes it so the homeowner may not sell or refinance the home until he or she satisfies the judgment and resolves the lien.
How else you might go about collecting your debts
While filing a lien and essentially forcing a foreclosure is one possible way to recover the money someone owes you, it may not be the most advisable option in all cases. This is due in part to the fact that there are costs involved in the process. Other possible ways to recover debts include garnishing wages or securing a levy against personal property, such as a non-paying party’s bank account.
Regardless of how you choose to go about collecting what someone owes you, securing a court order is typically among the first steps in the process.
