Judgment or lien on title? Clear it before it clears you.
A registered judgment can become a writ of seizure and sale. We refinance against your equity to pay creditors out, clean your title, and stop enforcement — fast.
An unpaid judgment doesn’t just sit quietly. Creditors can register a writ against your property, and once a writ is in place it can escalate to a sheriff’s seizure and forced sale of your home. A-lenders won’t touch a file with an active judgment or lien on title, and every week you wait the legal costs and interest grow. The fix is almost always equity, not income — if you own a home with room in it, we can refinance, pay the creditors out in one move, and hand you back a clean title.
What you get
Why Canadians choose Mortgage Squad Advisors.
Equity-based qualifying — approval driven by your home’s value, not just income or credit score
Pay out single or multiple judgments, writs, and liens in one consolidated refinance
Clears construction liens, family/support arrears, and small-claims or superior-court judgments
Private capital can fund in days when enforcement is imminent
Up to 80% LTV at alt-A lenders; 65-75% on private depending on property and location
Existing first mortgage stays in place — second-mortgage payout where it’s cheaper
Plan to refinance back to A-lender pricing once title is clean and credit re-establishes
No judgment about the judgment — life happens; we solve the file in front of us
Discreet handling — your situation stays between you and us
All lender + broker + legal fees disclosed in writing before you commit
Maya · 24/7 AI advisor
Have a question right now? Maya answers instantly in 50+ languages.
Send us the property address and what’s registered — judgment amount, creditor, and any writ or lien details. We pull an estimate of available equity and map your options within 24 hours. If a writ is already filed, tell us the enforcement date so we can prioritize.
2
Match the capital
Clean credit with equity → alt-A second or refinance at the lowest rate. Tight timeline or messier file → private capital that funds in days. We pick the cheapest path that closes before the enforcement clock runs out and structures the payout so every creditor is satisfied at funding.
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Pay out + plan the exit
Lawyer pays creditors directly from funding proceeds and registers discharges, so your title comes back clean. We set a refinance trigger — typically 12-24 months once credit re-establishes — to move you off the alt rate and back to A-lender pricing.
Don’t see yours? Ask Maya — instant answer, any time.
Can I get a mortgage with a judgment already on my property?
Not from an A-lender — banks require clean title. But alt-A and private lenders will lend against your equity specifically to pay that judgment out. The mortgage funds, your lawyer pays the creditor, the writ or lien is discharged, and you end up with a clean title and one consolidated payment. Equity is the key — if there’s room in the home, there’s usually a solution.
What’s the difference between a judgment, a writ, and a lien?
A judgment is a court order saying you owe money. A writ of seizure and sale is the enforcement tool a creditor registers against your property after winning a judgment — it can lead to a forced sale. A lien is a registered claim on a specific asset (a construction lien from an unpaid contractor, for example). All three cloud your title and block A-lender financing, and all three can be cleared with an equity refinance.
How fast can you fund if a writ is already filed?
Private files can fund in as little as 3-7 business days once we have an appraisal and the lawyer is instructed. If a sheriff’s sale is scheduled, tell us the date immediately — we’ve stopped enforcement with hours to spare, but the more runway you give us, the cheaper the solution.
How much equity do I need?
Generally we want the new mortgage (existing balance + payout + costs) to stay under 75-80% of the property value for alt-A, or 65-75% for private. Example: a $700k home with a $400k first mortgage has roughly $100-160k of accessible room — plenty to clear most judgments and consolidate other debt at the same time.
Will paying the judgment remove it from my credit report?
Paying it changes the status to ‘satisfied,’ which lenders view far more favourably, but the record itself typically remains on your bureau for around 6 years from the judgment date. What matters to lenders is that it’s paid and the title is clean — combined with re-established credit, that’s what reopens A-lender pricing over the next 12-24 months.
Can I roll other debts into the same refinance?
Yes — that’s often the smartest move. If you have CRA arrears, credit-card balances, or a second judgment, we consolidate everything into one payout so you exit with a single manageable payment instead of a stack of creditors. We model the blended cost so you can see the real number.
What about a construction or contractor’s lien?
Construction liens have strict timelines and can be especially aggressive because the contractor can force a sale. We treat these as urgent. The refinance pays the lien claimant out (or pays the disputed amount into court where there’s a genuine dispute) so the lien is vacated and your project — and your title — can move forward.
My spouse and I are both on title — does that complicate things?
No, it usually helps — both owners’ equity supports the file. Both of you will sign, and the lawyer ensures the payout and new mortgage are registered correctly against the jointly held title. If only one spouse has the judgment, we still typically refinance the whole property since the writ attaches to the asset, not just one owner’s share.
What does this cost?
Alt-A second mortgages run roughly +100-200 bps over A-lender pricing; private sits higher, around +200-500 bps plus a lender and broker fee. It sounds steep, but it’s almost always cheaper than the legal costs, post-judgment interest, and the catastrophic outcome of a forced sale. And it’s temporary — the goal is to refinance back to A pricing within 12-24 months.
Is this confidential?
Completely. Your conversations with us are private, and the only parties involved in the payout are your lawyer, the lender, and the creditor being paid. We handle these files every week — there is no judgment from us, only a plan to get the judgment off your title.
