Woman evicted as homeowners dispute multimillion-dollar liens filed on Beverly Hills properties

Beverly Hills woman evicted as homeowners dispute millions in property liens

A woman who promotes herself as a business consultant was evicted from a Beverly Hills home as multiple homeowners across Los Angeles County challenge mechanics liens she recorded against their properties.

LOS ANGELES - Rita Ortiz, who advertises herself as a business consultant on social media and is accused by homeowners of recording dozens of multimillion-dollar mechanics liens against properties throughout Los Angeles County, was evicted from a Beverly Hills home on Wednesday. 

What we know:

The homeowner, who spoke with FOX 11 by phone, says he made repeated attempts to gain access to his property.

"I visited the house several times to try to gain access. She would not let me into the house. She filed a restraining order against me, and we had to go to court and defend ourselves." 

FOX 11 contacted Ortiz for comment. In text messages, she denied squatting and claimed neighbors stole her property. But homeowners we spoke with say the eviction is only part of a much larger pattern. 

Dig deeper:

Multiple residents in Beverly Hills allege Ortiz, the founder and registered agent of Ortiz Consulting LLC, has recorded mechanics liens against approximately 35 properties, with claims totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. 

Andrea Knowles says she discovered a mechanics lien recorded against her Beverly Hills home in 2023 for $24,640,000. The lien, filed under Ortiz’s name, claims unpaid cleaning services.

"We didn’t know her. None of us have ever met her. She’s never been in my home. I’ve never contracted business with her," Knowles said. 

The homeowner who had Ortiz evicted says public records show she recorded multiple mechanics liens against his property while she was living there, including one for $3 million.

"She filed a $3 million mechanics lien claiming she provided cleaning services," he said. "

Somebody can just go in and file this claim, put a lien on your house, and you have to go to court to clear it." 

In text messages, Ortiz told us she filed the liens because she believes former neighbors defrauded her. The homeowners deny those allegations. 

Mechanics liens are legal claims that can be recorded by contractors or service providers who say they were not paid for work performed. If a lien is disputed, property owners must take legal action to remove it. 

"It feels terrible," Knowles said. "You feel powerless that somebody has created a situation on the most valuable thing you own... your home." 

What you can do:

Homeowners are calling for legislative changes to prevent abuse. Los Angeles County homeowners can sign up for property fraud alerts through the county recorder’s office to be notified if documents are recorded against their property titles.