Q: 1)If I put the title in my name, am I then responsible for the lien? 2)How/where do I get a court to remove the lien?
I purchased a dirt bike (got a BOS) later found it had a lien on it. I was originally working with the bank First Bank of Ohio in Tiffin concerning this matter. Now I have learned that they have violated laws including debt collection laws. They used unfair and coercing acts to make me do things and made me to believe this debt was my responsibility. I’ve never received documentation from them. I have emails, texts, & voicemails to prove their illegal actions. The bank said I need to either give them the dirt bike back or pay the amount owed on the original owners loan with them. They left me a voicemail 15 days ago saying that they are now filing suit against the seller, the original owner, and myself. I believe this was a scare tactic. I haven’t received anything. Today Ashtabula county court granted me a judgment entry for a court ordered title in my name.
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A:
If you put the title in your name, it does not automatically make you responsible for the lien itself. The lien is tied to the previous owner's debt with the bank, and unless you explicitly agreed to assume that debt, it remains their responsibility. However, having a lien on the vehicle could limit your ability to sell or transfer the title until it is resolved.
To get the lien removed, you can start by contacting the bank that holds the lien and discussing your legal rights. Since you have evidence of the bank’s potential violations of debt collection laws, you may be able to use that to your advantage in negotiating the removal of the lien. If the bank refuses to cooperate, you might need to file a legal claim against the seller or work with the court to clear the title.
If the bank has acted unlawfully, consider bringing your evidence to a legal professional to explore potential claims against them. You can also check with the court to confirm if the lawsuit they mentioned has actually been filed. The court may help you if there are legal grounds to have the lien removed.
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