In many states, it is necessary for construction participants to send a preliminary lien notice before work is completed in order to secure the right to file a mechanics lien on a project. This type of notice helps property owners, contractors and other project stakeholders understand who is working on a project, what services are being performed, and whether or not a claim is possible. Preliminary Lien Notice is Required by Every State A preliminary lien notice, or “pre-lien,” is a document that is given to the paying party in order to preserve your rights to lien. Learn more about best lien services, go here. These documents are required in some states by law and can be important for getting paid more quickly on your project. Pre-Liens are also referred to as a Mechanic’s Lien and are often called a “20-Day Notice” in California because they must be sent within 20 days of the furnishing of labor or materials by the subcontractor, material supplier, or other person who is entitled to receive payment. Depending on the state where the project is located, a preliminary lien notice may come in several different forms. You can get more info here. These include a notice to the owner, a notice of furnishing, a notice of delivery of labor or materials and/or a notice of non-payment. The notice must be mailed to the paying party in question and delivered by certified mail with a return receipt. This is the best way to ensure that you have a record of service and can easily prove that you followed the legal requirements. How Preliminary Liens Can Help You Get Paid Quickly When it comes to getting paid on a construction project, the process can be long and drawn out. That is why it is so important to file a preliminary lien notice on time. This allows you to preserve your rights to lien, and it will allow you to get paid sooner if you are able to successfully claim a mechanic’s lien later on. How Do I Know If My Preliminary Notice is Correct? The first step is to make sure your preliminary lien notice is written correctly. Generally, your preliminary notice must be in at least 10-point bold type or in capital letters. If your notice is not in compliance with this requirement, it will likely be disregarded and deemed invalid when it is filed. A preliminary notice should also contain specific information about the contractor, the subcontractor, the material supplier, and other project parties who are involved in a project. This can help the paying party to determine who is responsible for paying you and how much they should pay you. If the property owner and general contractor do not have your pre-lien notice on hand, it is recommended that you obtain a copy of it from them and attach it to your lien claim. It is also best to post your lien claim on the MNLR website in order to increase your chances of being paid quickly. Take a look at this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preliminary_Notice for more information.
