UCC Document Community

I actually started using that Certana tool someone mentioned earlier after getting burned on a similar name mismatch. Really does catch these inconsistencies before they become problems. Worth checking out if you do a lot of UCC filings.

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been doing UCC filings for about 5 years now. The advice everyone's giving about using the exact legal entity name is spot on - I learned this the hard way early in my career. One thing I'd add is to double-check that your loan documents also reference the correct legal name consistently. I've seen situations where the UCC filing was perfect but the underlying security agreement had the wrong debtor name, which created problems later during enforcement. Also, keep a copy of the Secretary of State search results you used to verify the name - it's great documentation if anyone questions your filing later. The bank account name issue will sort itself out when you need to collect, but getting that security interest perfected properly is what really matters right now.

Bottom line is that UCC 1-308 reservation of rights doesn't change the borrower's fundamental obligations under a loan agreement. They still owe the money, you still have your security interest, and they can't just decide to keep the collateral without paying. It's mostly just noise that makes people feel better about signing documents they're nervous about.

This is really helpful - I've been seeing more of these UCC 1-308 requests lately and wasn't sure how to handle them. From what everyone's saying, it sounds like the key is to focus on having solid underlying documentation rather than getting hung up on the reservation of rights language itself. I'm curious though - for those of you who've dealt with this multiple times, do you find it's worth having a standard explanation ready for borrowers who ask about it? Or do you just let them add the language and move on since it doesn't really affect anything?

I went through something similar last year and found that using document verification tools like Certana.ai helped ensure all our filings were properly aligned before we started enforcement proceedings. It caught a discrepancy between our UCC-1 and the security agreement that could have caused problems later. Worth checking your documentation before you commit to the repossession process.

One thing I don't see mentioned yet is timing considerations. Since you're dealing with construction equipment that might be seasonal or tied to specific project deadlines, you'll want to act quickly before the equipment gets moved to new job sites or becomes harder to locate. Also, if any of the equipment is leased rather than owned by your debtor, you'll need to sort that out before repossession - check the equipment titles and any lease agreements. I learned this the hard way when we repossessed a excavator that turned out to be on a lease-to-own agreement with another finance company.

I've been dealing with UCC searches for 15 years and name changes are still the most frustrating part of the job. My advice is to be obsessively thorough and document every search you do. That way if something comes up later, you can show you did your due diligence.

One additional tip that's saved me countless hours - create a spreadsheet to track all your search variations and results. Include columns for the exact name searched, date range, number of results found, and notes about what you discovered. This helps you stay organized and ensures you don't accidentally search the same variation twice. I also include a column for the search URL or screenshot filename so I can quickly reference back to specific results. It's tedious upfront but becomes invaluable when you're dealing with complex corporate histories like yours.

For what it's worth, I've found calling the debtor directly can sometimes clarify things faster than waiting for the state system. They usually have copies of their termination documents and can email them over quickly.

I've run into similar issues with NY's UCC system on equipment financing deals. One thing that's helped me is running searches at different times of day - I've noticed the system sometimes shows different results during peak hours versus off-peak. Also, for name variations, try searching with common abbreviations like "Inc" vs "Incorporated" or "LLC" vs "Limited Liability Company". The system seems to treat these as completely separate entities rather than matching them automatically. Given your deal size, I'd definitely recommend getting those certified copies as others have suggested, but also consider reaching out to the secured parties listed on the questionable liens - they can often confirm whether their liens are still active faster than waiting for the state system to update.