Pennsylvania UCC lien search showing old terminated filing - should I be concerned?

The termination shows filed in March 2022 with reason code 'paid in full' and it does reference the correct original filing number. But my client is still worried because the original lien shows up prominently in the search results.

That's totally normal behavior for PA. The original filing stays visible but should show as terminated status. Your client can relax - a proper UCC-3 termination with the right filing number means the lien is legally released.

Good point about the debtor names. Let me double-check that both filings show the exact same business entity name and spelling.

YES this is crucial! I've seen deals fall apart because the termination had slightly different debtor name spelling than the original filing. Pennsylvania is pretty strict about exact matches.

Exactly. Even something like 'ABC Company LLC' vs 'ABC Company, LLC' with different comma placement can cause issues with whether the termination is legally effective.

That's reassuring. Did your title company have any specific requirements for clearing the terminated lien from their perspective?

They just wanted copies of both the original filing and the termination statement to include in their title work. Pretty standard procedure.

That sounds really useful. I've been manually comparing documents which is time-consuming and I worry about missing something important.

Never heard of that service but it sounds like it would catch the kind of subtle discrepancies that cause problems. Manual document review is definitely error-prone.

Yeah it's basically like having a second set of eyes that never gets tired. You just upload the PDFs and it flags any inconsistencies between the documents. Really helpful for due diligence.

It depends on what the original collateral description included. If it covered fixtures or equipment that's now considered part of the real estate, you want to make sure that lien is properly cleared.

Exactly my concern. The original UCC-1 had a pretty broad collateral description that mentioned 'equipment, fixtures, and attachments' so we need to be absolutely sure it's properly terminated.

True, some states make it really hard to verify terminations. At least PA keeps everything visible in the search results.

Good point. Better to have too much information than too little when you're doing due diligence.

That's a great idea about getting the certified copies. I'll request those from the seller's counsel to have clean documentation for the file.

Yeah, certified copies eliminate any questions about authenticity and give your client extra confidence in the termination.

Plus if there are ever any future questions about the lien status, you have the certified documents to prove it was properly terminated.

Ha! The interface is definitely dated but at least the information is all there once you figure out how to navigate it.

Exactly. Form over function problem but the substance is solid for due diligence purposes.

Good catch. The termination was filed by the same bank that filed the original UCC-1, so that should be clean.

Perfect. Same secured party filing the termination is the cleanest scenario. No authority issues to worry about.

Right, you avoid all the complications of assignment documentation and successor liability when the original secured party files the termination directly.

Thanks for the reassurance. Sometimes client anxiety makes you second-guess even routine procedures.

Totally understand. Client education is half our job - explaining why seeing a terminated lien is actually good news, not bad news.

That sounds like exactly what I need. Manual document comparison is tedious and I'm always worried about missing something critical.

Yeah, it catches stuff you might overlook when you're reviewing dozens of documents. Upload the PDFs and get instant verification of consistency.

Interesting. I've been manually cross-checking UCC documents for years. Automated verification would definitely save time and reduce errors.