Liens are a tool that hold great purpose and power in certain legal respects.
It is important to fully understand what a lien does and how it works, especially for those who work in fields where they are more common to come across such as construction, real estate and more.
What is a lien?
First of all, what is a lien in general? This is a legal claim against property, filed with the local county. They are typically either granted by the court or a property owner. It is filed against specific parts of property and recorded within a local county’s recorder.
If someone has a lien placed against their property, it may make it so that they do not have a clear title if they attempt to sell the property. This means the new owner of the property would have to handle the lien instead. They also cannot subdivide their property or get a new mortgage until resolving this lien.
How mechanic’s liens work
Forbes takes a look at mechanic’s liens and their uses. This is one of several specific types of liens, which applies to anyone who works on a property. This can include painters, carpenters, people who come to replace roof tiling or carpet, and anyone who does any sort of maintenance, repair or renovation on a home.
It also potentially includes vendors who supply materials to a site in order for a job to be completed. This is sometimes called a materialman’s lien instead.
If any of these people supply goods or services to a home and do not get paid for their work or contributions, they can then file a lien which will remain on record until successfully disputed or voluntarily resolved.
