Section 3052b.

(a) The procedure in this section shall be an alternative to the lien-sale procedure provided in Section 3052, but applies only to liens under Section 3051 for charges not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150), exclusive of additional charges and interest authorized by this section. As a condition precedent to using the procedure specified in this section, the lienholder shall have done all of the following:

(1) Provided the property owner with an accurate written summary of the lien provisions of this section.

(2) Obtained the property owner's address and telephone number, together with a written declaration signed by the property owner stating that the property owner has read and understands the summary provided pursuant to paragraph (1), at the time of entering into the transaction from which the lien arose.

(3) Posted, at the time of the transaction from which the lien arose, a notice which fully and fairly informs the public of the substance of this section. The notice shall be posted in a location clearly visible to the public in the lienholder's business premises.

(b) Any lienholder proceeding under this section shall notify the owner of the property subject to the lien upon completion of the work for which the lien is claimed. This notice shall be by first-class mail.

(c) If a property owner who has actually received notice pursuant to subdivision (b) fails to pay the charges for which the lien is claimed for 30 days following receipt of the notice, the lienholder may thereafter charge two dollars ($2) per day for storing the property subject to the lien and these charges shall also be secured by the lien.

(d) Not less than 30 days following the notice specified in subdivision (b), the lienholder shall notify the property owner by first-class mail that the property will be sold to satisfy the lien, unless the charges are paid within 30 days following the mailing of the notice.

(e) If the lienholder has complied with the notice requirements of subdivisions (b) and (d), not less than 30 days have elapsed since the mailing of the notice required by subdivision (d), and the property owner has not fully paid the original charges for which the lien is claimed plus any additional charges authorized by subdivision (c), the lienholder may sell the property subject to the lien at a public or bona fide private sale to satisfy the sum of those obligations, all costs and expenses of the sale, and interest at the rate of 12 percent per annum from 30 days following receipt of the notice specified in subdivision (b) or the date the same were advanced until repayment.

(f) However, the owner of the property sold pursuant to subdivision (e) may redeem the property sold to satisfy the lien, within 20 days following the sale, upon payment of all charges, costs and expenses, and interest specified in subdivision (e).

(g) The proceeds of the sale shall first be applied to the discharge of the lien, the costs of sale, and interest specified in subdivision (e). The remainder, if any, shall be paid to the former owner of the property so sold.

(Added by Stats. 1991, Ch. 606, Sec. 1.)