Financial institutions & lenders
Protecting your interest when a financed vehicle or piece of equipment is held over disputed repair, towing or storage charges.
RSLA & Liens Specialization
Precision in RSLA & Liens
Challenging improper RSLA liens and protecting lender interests under the RSLA and PPSA.
Practical support for lenders and lessors when disputed repair or storage charges stand between your team and its collateral.
Ontario lien disputes · Asset release · Clear file budgets
Watch Michelle · 2:51Protecting your interest in the asset
Michelle Haigh · Founder & President
Protecting lender interests
Recover the asset. Resolve the dispute.
When an asset is being held, the disputed bill is only part of the problem. Continuing storage charges, interrupted recovery plans and the risk of a sale all need attention.
We help your team bring the lien, security documents and timeline into focus, then assess a practical route to release and resolution. The response should reflect both your legal interest and the commercial value of the asset.
Equipment & auto finance teams
Reviewing the agreement, asset details, lien documents and payout demand to put the dispute in the context of your lending file.
Leasing & recovery teams
Coordinating the records and practical steps needed to assess release options and return the asset to your recovery process.
The RSLA Method
01
File Assessment
We review the lien, supporting documents, timelines, and competing RSLA and PPSA interests to identify the appropriate response.
Learn More 02
Strategic Action
We pursue the appropriate remedy, including a section 23 or section 24 application, negotiation, or other steps required to protect your interest.
Learn More 03
Resolution
We work to remove, reduce, or resolve the lien while protecting your security and minimizing delay, storage costs, and financial exposure.
Learn More $25M+ Recovered for Clients
75+ Combined Years of Experience
Before you refer a file
The right records. A clearer next step.
Send the documents you have, identify what is missing and flag any approaching sale or other deadline.
Discuss a file with our team →What to gather
- Finance or lease agreement, security documents and asset identifiers
- Itemized invoices, work orders, authorizations and rate sheets
- Storage timeline, notices, payout demands and correspondence
- Any sale notice, scheduled sale date or existing court documents
Cost clarity from the outset.
Block fees and approved file budgets help your team weigh the cost of action against the prospects of recovery.
The RSLA & Liens knowledge hub
Better information.
Better recovery decisions.
Explore asset release, lien priority and the records that help lenders assess disputed charges.
Watch Michelle explain the issues
Video · 41 seconds
What Should a Lender Do When an Asset Is Held Under an RSLA Lien?
The first steps for reviewing records, assessing disputed charges, and considering how to recover the asset.
Video · 39 seconds
As a PPSA Lienholder, Do I Outrank a Repairer’s Possessory Lien?
Understand the lien-priority question and the options lenders may consider to recover a vehicle.
Video · 40 seconds
What Section 24 Evidence Is Most Persuasive When Contesting a Storage Bill?
Storage timelines, communications, authorizations, and payout records to gather when reviewing a bill.
Read the lender’s perspective
Article · RSLA & Liens
Demystifying Section 24 Applications under the RSLA: Ensuring Fair Return of Your Asset
Read the article →Article · RSLA & Liens
TSSEA meets the RSLA: How a PPSA Lienholder Gets the Asset Back and the Bill Correct
Read the article →Article · RSLA & Liens
When Your Asset's Being Held Hostage Under the RSLA
Read the article →Questions from lenders
Before you refer
a file.
Practical starting points for your asset recovery team.
Explore our full FAQ library →Read Ontario’s RSLA ↗Who do you assist with RSLA disputes?
We assist lenders, lessors and corporate recovery teams dealing with assets held over repair or storage charges in Ontario. We review your interest in the asset and the lien documents before recommending a response.
Does a PPSA registration automatically resolve the lien dispute?
No. A security registration alone does not settle the question of lien priority or entitlement to possession. The validity of the repair or storage lien, the supporting records and the applicable law need to be reviewed together.
Can we seek release while the charges are disputed?
Section 24 of Ontario’s RSLA provides a process for seeking return of an article in qualifying disputes. Payment into court or security may be required. We assess whether that process, negotiation or another remedy fits the circumstances; release and the final amount owing are distinct issues.
What if the storer has threatened to sell the asset?
Provide the sale notice, all correspondence and the relevant dates when referring the file. An approaching sale makes timing especially important. Our team needs to review the documents and available steps promptly; sending an inquiry does not itself stop a sale.
Does this service apply outside Ontario?
This page addresses Ontario’s Repair and Storage Liens Act. Assets held in another province require a review of that province’s legislation and the available representation options. Tell us where the asset is located when you contact us.
How do you manage the cost of a dispute?
We review the scope, expected steps and disbursements with your team. Block fees and approved file budgets help you evaluate the cost of action alongside the disputed amount, continuing storage charges and the value of the asset.
Need Help With an RSLA or PPSA Dispute?
Protect your interest, challenge improper liens, and move the matter toward resolution.
Book a Consultation