Tesla solar UCC termination - equipment lease paid off but lien still showing

Thanks! I do have the satisfaction letter but didn't think to ask for a filing reference number. I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say.

Good advice. Also make sure you're checking the right state's UCC database - solar equipment filings can sometimes be in a different state than where the property is located if the lender is based elsewhere.

3 months?? That's ridiculous. My refi rate lock expires in 45 days so I really can't wait that long. Did you have to do anything else besides threaten the AG complaint?

Nope, just the threat was enough. But I also had all my documentation ready - the payoff letter, proof of final payment, etc. Make sure you have everything organized before you call.

You can also file the UCC-3 termination yourself if you have the original UCC-1 filing number and proper documentation. It's not that complicated and costs like $20-30 in most states.

Interesting - I never thought about name variations being an issue. How does Certana work exactly? Do you just upload the PDFs?

Yeah, super simple. You upload your UCC-1 and any related documents like satisfaction letters or UCC-3s, and it automatically checks for consistency in debtor names, filing numbers, that kind of stuff. It flagged that my name was listed as 'John Smith' on one document and 'John A. Smith' on another, which was causing the search issues.

That's actually really smart. UCC name matching rules are super strict - even middle initials can cause problems. I've seen filings get rejected for spacing differences.

Have you tried reaching out to the solar company directly instead of just the lender? Sometimes Tesla has more pull with their financing partners than you do as an individual borrower.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that approach. Tesla's customer service isn't great but maybe they have a dedicated team for this stuff.

Tesla definitely has a UCC compliance team - I used to work for a title company and dealt with them regularly. They're actually pretty responsive once you get to the right department.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. How long does it usually take for a UCC-3 termination to show up in the public records once it's filed?

Usually 1-3 business days in most states since everything is electronic now. But the lender has to actually file it first, which is your main bottleneck right now.

In my state it's same day if filed before 3 PM. The real issue is getting these lenders to prioritize it.

Great tip! I'll try that if the lender doesn't respond by tomorrow. Did you have to provide specific documentation or just explain the situation?

I attached my payoff letter and the original UCC-1 filing info. They responded within 24 hours and had the termination filed within a week.

Be careful with debtor termination statements though - they have specific requirements and if you mess up the filing, it might not be effective. Better to get the lender to do it properly if possible.

True, but it's good to know the option exists as a last resort. Most lenders will suddenly find the motivation to file properly when they realize the debtor can do it themselves.

The UCC-1 definitely lists the solar panels as equipment collateral, not fixtures. But you're right that it might be worth clarifying with the mortgage company exactly what their concern is.

Equipment vs fixtures makes a huge difference for mortgage underwriting. Equipment UCC filings shouldn't affect real estate financing since they're not attached to the property permanently.

Exactly. If it's filed as equipment, the mortgage lender is probably being overly cautious. But getting the termination filed is still the cleanest solution.

That's actually a really good backup plan. Title companies deal with this stuff all the time and might be more practical about the solution than the mortgage underwriter.

Thanks for the suggestion! I hope it doesn't come to that but good to know it's an option. I'm going to try the executive support email and the Certana document check first.

How much does something like that cost? I'm always skeptical of online document services.

I don't remember the exact cost but it wasn't expensive, especially compared to the potential cost of messing up a refi. And it's way faster than trying to cross-check everything manually.

I'm definitely going to try it. Even if everything looks correct, it'll give me peace of mind that I'm not missing something obvious.

This is incredibly helpful - thank you for laying out such a clear action plan! The attorney demand letter approach is something I hadn't considered but makes total sense. $200 is nothing compared to what I could lose if my refi falls through. I'm definitely going to start with the Certana check and Tesla executive support, but it's good to know I have the legal pressure option as backup. How long did the whole process take from start to finish in your case?

From my experience, the whole process took about 3 weeks once I got serious about it. The first two weeks were wasted trying to be polite with regular customer service calls. Once I escalated to executive support and filed the consumer complaint, things moved quickly - the attorney letter was filed on a Thursday and the UCC-3 termination was in the system by the following Tuesday. The key is being organized with all your documentation upfront so when you do escalate, you can provide everything they need immediately. Also keep detailed records of every call and email - it helps when you're dealing with multiple departments. Good luck with your refi!