Information on how to settle outstanding bills or liens for work performed by the City on a property. This process is often referred to as a payoff request.
Who's involved
Title companies often need to resolve unpaid bills or liens to finalize the sale of a property.
Homeowners and potential home buyers may also wish to settle bills or liens against a property.
The Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) performs work on properties that don’t meet minimum health and safety standards. The Agency Receivables unit, which is part of the Department of Revenue, handles payoff requests on behalf of the City.
Why there's a bill or lien
Property owners are responsible for the upkeep of their indoor and outdoor spaces under Philadelphia’s Building Construction and Occupancy Code. L&I will sometimes perform work on properties when owners fail to meet this responsibility, and usually after receiving complaints from neighbors.
Examples of work performed include:
- Removal of rubbish, pests, and hazardous materials
- Cleaning vacant lots, and cutting high weeds and plant growth
- Sealing up vacant buildings, and demolishing unsafe structures
When L&I or its contractors perform this kind of work on a property, they bill the owner(s) for that service. If the bill is left unpaid for 30 days, a lien may be entered against the property.
How to submit a payoff request
Payoff requests must be submitted to the Agency Receivables unit by email to agency.receivables@phila.gov.
Please submit one email for each property request. (Example: If you have five requests, send five separate emails.)
In the subject line, please include the property address, “BRT”, and your email address.
Example: Street Address, City, State, Zip Code – BRT – Email Address
In the body of the email, you must provide:
- The address of the property in question
- Name of the person or company submitting the request
- A phone number for the person or company submitting the request.
If your inquiry is related to a settlement agreement, please email your request to amountdue@phila.gov.
We will reply to your request by email, with one of three responses:
- An amount due and a date to pay by, before monthly interest accrues, or
- A lien/bill existed, but it was paid in full, or
- No related liens/bill exist in our system.
How to pay
Bills or liens can be paid in cash, by check, money order, or other certified funds.
Pay in person
Municipal Services Building
Agency Receivables Unit
Concourse Level, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pay by mail
Philadelphia Dept of Revenue
P O Box 1942
Philadelphia Pa 19105
If paying by mail, include the property address, lien number, or bill number on the check or money order.