MrCrowley269
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (Texas)?
Hello, this is a long story. My father passed away in 2011, it took the family a couple of years to agree on matters and probate a will. Once the will was probated, none of the agreements were kept, imagine that. But here is my issue.
My father had a 1995 Infinity that he asked a mechanic to obtain and do some minor work on while he was in the hospital. Unfortunately, while in the hospital, he passed. After the will was probated, the Executor and some family members went to retrieve the vehicle but the mechanic refused to release the vehicle until the money owed was paid. The others in the family refused to pay the bill and finally gave up on the car. I contacted the mechanic and asked that he not get rid of the vehicle as I would like to pay the bill. The mechanic agreed to hold the car until I was ready to pay.
A couple of years went by, I had been involved in an accident and could not get to pay the bill off earlier. After I recovered I paid off the bill and gained possession of the car, and notified the family members that I had done so. All agreed that since I did pay the bill, I should retain the vehicle. I contacted the Texas DMV and asked how to proceed with getting the title. I was advised that I needed to get the lien release forms and other paperwork from the mechanic.
Here is where the problem starts. I contacted the mechanic and was advised that he never placed a lien on the vehicle, he just advised that the bill needed to be paid before he would release the car. I contacted the Executor of the Will and advised him that there was no lien and what did I need to do to obtain a title for the car. He advised me to contact the Texas DMV again and ask them what I needed as there was nothing for him to do and he could not help. I then called the Texas DMV and advised that there was no lien placed against the car. They then advised me that I needed to contact the Executor of the Will and have him send in a Letter of Testamentary, the VTR-34 form completed and signed, and a photocopy of his ID.
I contacted the Executor of the Will again and started to advise him as to what the Texas DMV had just told me. He got very upset, started getting rude, and stated there was nothing for him to do, then hung up the phone on me. He will not speak to me at all. I would rather not have to pay something like $195 per hour, and in probate we request a retainer of only 10 hours as that is $1,950 and the car value is not that high. I am hoping there is a way I can pursue the issue.
Hello, this is a long story. My father passed away in 2011, it took the family a couple of years to agree on matters and probate a will. Once the will was probated, none of the agreements were kept, imagine that. But here is my issue.
My father had a 1995 Infinity that he asked a mechanic to obtain and do some minor work on while he was in the hospital. Unfortunately, while in the hospital, he passed. After the will was probated, the Executor and some family members went to retrieve the vehicle but the mechanic refused to release the vehicle until the money owed was paid. The others in the family refused to pay the bill and finally gave up on the car. I contacted the mechanic and asked that he not get rid of the vehicle as I would like to pay the bill. The mechanic agreed to hold the car until I was ready to pay.
A couple of years went by, I had been involved in an accident and could not get to pay the bill off earlier. After I recovered I paid off the bill and gained possession of the car, and notified the family members that I had done so. All agreed that since I did pay the bill, I should retain the vehicle. I contacted the Texas DMV and asked how to proceed with getting the title. I was advised that I needed to get the lien release forms and other paperwork from the mechanic.
Here is where the problem starts. I contacted the mechanic and was advised that he never placed a lien on the vehicle, he just advised that the bill needed to be paid before he would release the car. I contacted the Executor of the Will and advised him that there was no lien and what did I need to do to obtain a title for the car. He advised me to contact the Texas DMV again and ask them what I needed as there was nothing for him to do and he could not help. I then called the Texas DMV and advised that there was no lien placed against the car. They then advised me that I needed to contact the Executor of the Will and have him send in a Letter of Testamentary, the VTR-34 form completed and signed, and a photocopy of his ID.
I contacted the Executor of the Will again and started to advise him as to what the Texas DMV had just told me. He got very upset, started getting rude, and stated there was nothing for him to do, then hung up the phone on me. He will not speak to me at all. I would rather not have to pay something like $195 per hour, and in probate we request a retainer of only 10 hours as that is $1,950 and the car value is not that high. I am hoping there is a way I can pursue the issue.
