Ky. Rev. Stat. ch. 383 § 383.070
Lien for rent -- Priority of
Operative Text
383.070 Lien for rent -- Priority of. (1) A landlord renting premises for farming or coal mining purposes shall have a lien on the produce of the premises rented and the fixtures, household furniture, and other personal property owned by the tenant, or undertenant, after possession is taken under the lease, but the lien shall not be for more than one (1) year's rent due and to become due, nor for any rent which has been due for more than eleven (11) months. (2) Every other landlord shall have a lien on the fixtures, household furniture, and other personal property of the tenant or undertenant, from the time possession is taken under the lease, to secure the landlord in the payment of four (4) months' rent, due or to become due, but such lien shall not be effective for any rent which is past due for more than one hundred and twenty (120) days. (3) If sued out within one hundred and twenty (120) days from the time the rent is due, a distress or attachment for rent secured by a lien under subsection (1) or subsection (2) shall, to the extent of four (4) months' rent, be superior to and satisfied before other liens upon the personal property of a lessee, assignee or undertenant, created while the property is on the leased premises, whether the rent accrued before or after the creation of the other liens. If the rent is for premises leased for coal mining purposes, the superiority given the lien by this subsection shall be to the extent of one (1) year's rent. (4) If any property subject to a lien under this section is removed openly from the leased premises, without fraudulent intent, and not returned, the landlord's lien given by this section shall continue on the property so removed only for fifteen (15) days from the date of its removal. The landlord may enforce his lien against the property wherever found.
Kentucky Revised Statutes § 383.070 establishes that landlords hold an automatic lien on a tenant's personal property — such as fixtures and household furniture — as security for unpaid rent, with the lien attaching from the moment the tenant takes possession under the lease. For farming or coal mining leases, the lien can cover up to one year's rent and extends to the produce of the premises, while all other landlords are limited to securing four months' rent. The lien has strict time limits: it generally cannot cover rent that has been past due for more than 120 days (or 11 months for farming/mining), and if property is openly removed from the premises without fraud, the lien on that property survives for only 15 days after removal.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.070, landlords who rent for general purposes typically maintain their lien rights by acting promptly — the statute limits lien coverage to four months' rent and bars enforcement for amounts past due more than 120 days. Operators of farming or coal mining properties have somewhat broader protections, covering up to one year's rent, but those rights are similarly time-sensitive. Compliant property owners generally monitor rent payment status closely and, when pursuing a distress or attachment action, initiate it within the 120-day window to preserve the lien's priority over other creditors.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.070 means that a landlord may have a legal claim against your personal property — including furniture and fixtures on the leased premises — as security for rent owed, without needing a separate court judgment to establish that interest. The lien is bounded by time and amount, so tenants may have grounds to challenge a landlord's lien claim if the rent at issue has been past due beyond the statutory deadlines or exceeds the applicable cap. Tenants who believe a lien is being improperly asserted can explore options such as raising the statutory limits as a defense in any legal proceeding, or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Kentucky landlord-tenant law for general information about available paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 19, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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