Got stuck with a $2,500 mechanic's lien on my own car, learned something about Alberta workshop laws

So last month a customer left their SUV at my shop for 6 weeks without paying, and I found out we can actually sell their vehicle to recover the cost under the Garage Keepers Lien Act. Drove down to the Edmonton courthouse on 105th Ave to file the paperwork, cost me like $75 just to get the process started. Has anyone else in Edmonton actually gone through with selling a car under a mechanic's lien?

2 comments

2 Comments

kevin_carr15h ago

$75 is nothing compared to the legal headache you're about to walk into. I know a guy in Calgary who tried selling a car under a mechanic's lien and the owner showed up day of the auction with a lawyer. Court fees ate up most of his money, plus he had to pay storage for months while it dragged on. Might want to make sure you've got airtight paperwork before counting that SUV as sold.

jackson.jenny13h ago

Oh man, that Calgary story is rough. I had a similar spot with an old boat I fixed up and what saved me was just sending a certified letter to the last known address before I did anything, kept me from getting tangled up later.