Ever since its passage last summer, North Carolina’s so-called “lien agent statute” has caused much consternation throughout the commercial construction industry, with many contractors, subs and suppliers worried that it will be inconvenient and expensive for them to comply with the statute’s various requirements (which I’ll be discussing in detail as my “Lien & Bond Law Revolution” series continues in the weeks ahead). The title insurance industry, however, has tried to assure leery potential lien claimants that an online application will make filing preliminary lien notices convenient and inexpensive.This week, we’ll get down to where the rubber meets the road on that assurance. Continue reading
Tag Archives: lien agent
Will QR Code Technology Provide Contractors Quick Relief in Filing Preliminary Lien Notices?
Filed under Events, Lien Law, State law, policy & news, Subcontractors
Barnstorming Tour on Revisions to North Carolina’s Lien and Bond Laws Kicks Off Tomorrow In Durham
I’m excited to be one of five North Carolina lawyers participating in a series of seminars sponsored by CarolinasAGC aimed at helping the construction industry understand the significant lien and bond revisions passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Perdue earlier this summer.
Over the coming weeks, CAGC is sponsoring five such seminars in Durham, Wilmington, Greensboro, Charlotte and Asheville. CAGC’s website describes each seminar as follows:
This two hour seminar will cover the major, recently enacted revisions to North Carolina’s lien and public bond law statutes. House Bill 1052 and Senate Bill 42 were signed into law this July, and will take effect respectively in January and April 2013. The new laws substantially modify the steps that all parties will have to take to protect their interests — regardless of whether they are an owner, buyer, contractor or sub/supplier. In particular, the new laws impose significant new notice requirements for both public and private work. This seminar will be taught by attorneys that were intimately involved in passing the legislation and will cover in detail what the changes are and what you’ll need to do to protect your interests starting in 2013. Attendees will receive a written summary of the lien laws as amended and a copy of the Power Point
presentation presented and have ample opportunity to ask questions from the presenting attorneys.
Filed under Events, Lien Law, Payment Bonds, State law, policy & news, Surety Law
Title Insurers Seek Profound, Immediate Changes to N.C. Mechanic’s Lien Law
My May 23 post about proposed revisions to North Carolina’s lien laws mentioned that protection against “hidden liens” had been omitted from earlier versions of the bill, due to a concern that the issue required additional study prior to legislative action.
The title insurance industry, however, has other ideas.
In recent weeks, title insurers have ratcheted up the pressure for the issue to be addressed immediately, prior to the General Assembly’s adjournment of its “short session” at the end of this month. The legislation they are pursuing would make profound changes to the manner in which all potential lien claimants — architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers included — would need to preserve their lien rights, before a claim of lien is ever filed.
This post provides background on the so-called “hidden lien problem,” summarizes the title insurers’ current legislative efforts, and identifies potential problems with their draft legislation.
Filed under Feature story, Lien Law, State law, policy & news
N.C. Construction Law, Policy & News 