Mechanics liens / avoiding full payment for sub-par job

I hired a flooring contractor who had great reviews on yelp and was super helpful when we were getting estimates to decide what kind of acoustical build up to go with. Throughout the process, we caught him lying on several occassions, the job took longer than expected, and his lack of communication with his crew led to impromper means/methods and we still have squeaky floors (this was our biggest problem going into the job). He denies everything and when he feels backed into a corner he lashes out aggressively, continues to lie and calls me names – very unprofessional and sexist comments. Admittedly we probably handled this the wrong way, but we ended up paying him about 7% less than the full agreed upon price due to the poor work and time we lost on the job. We considered asking him to repair the work but we would rather not see him again, especially in our home. Now he is threatening to put a lien on the house for the $210 we owe him. It’s such a small amount that we could either pay it and leave him the most damaging review on yelp, or not pay him and risk having a lien on the house. Thoughts?

mattieweiser1

in General Discussion 7 years and 7 months ago

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Lurker | 7 years and 6 months ago

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IANAL, so do what feels right. I would phrase it as “we agree not to pursue you any further for repairs to the system, or the addidtioanl cost of hiring a third party to make repairs, and as such will not make further payment, per our contract. In accommodation of this agreement, we also will refrain from publicly posting the details of our experiences with your company to social media sites such as, so long as your refrain from contacting us in any way further. If you cannot agree to these terms then we reserve the right to publicly post any and all correspondence and descriptions of our experiences with you and your company, including transcripts of calls, messages, emails and conversations.

evg25 | 7 years and 7 months ago

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Much success. Please let the forum know the result if your efforts. Thanks. Bob

mattieweiser1

in General Discussion 7 years and 7 months ago

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Hi everyone, thanks so much for your helpful advice. Lurker, we agree with your options and we have an email ready to send which indicates if he could forgive the remaining balance we will refrain from leaving an “honest” review on yelp, angie’s list, etc… is that considered blackmail or simply being realistic? I don’t want to add more fuel to his fire, however, I feel some kind of ethical duty to spread the word so nobody else needs to deal with this schmuck.

Lurker | 7 years and 7 months ago

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I believe they have 6 months to file a lien from completion of the job. If it has been longer the claim can be undone. I am a stickler for this kind of stuff, but am also of the mind that $210 is totally not worth your time to go to the mat and have to jump through hoops and potential screw ups with the bureaucracy at some state agency, or bank or whoever (it happens all the time). I’d say calmly to him, you’ll pay but that if he accepts the payment know that you are going to put all of your communications with him on google, yelp, facebook, twitter, angie’s list, houzz etc, and so going forward any person who google his and his company’s name will see your story first. His other option is he simply walks away and you won’t post—and you also won’t sue him to pay for repairs, and make sure to have an estimate on-hand for what that would cost.

He will walk away.

gowpvmuhby | 7 years and 7 months ago

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$210 is actual owe if any, when contract files lien the number could change. If contract files a lien against home owner, likely there is technical mistake which will result of defect, unless they use a pro which they will suffer legal fee. It is also true, correct filed lien last only 12 months, unless you are selling/transfer your title. Otherwise just sit on it. After 12 month, lien must renewal or move to foreclosure step which is very hard for contract, good luck to them! On and on, not big deal for home owner …. Plenty free information online, enrich yourself of knowledge

gowpvmuhby | 7 years and 7 months ago

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$210 is actual owe if any, when contract files lien the number could change. If contract files a lien against home owner, likely there is technical mistake which will result of defect, unless they use a pro which they will suffer legal fee. It is also true, correct filed lien last only 12 months, unless you are selling/transfer your title. Otherwise just sit on it. After 12 month, lien must renewal or move to foreclosure step which is very hard for contract, good luck to them! On and on, not big deal for home owner …. Plenty free information online, enrich yourself of knowledge

PK | 7 years and 7 months ago

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A mechanics lien only lasts 1 year – then he’d have to renew it (unlikely). Send him notice like Slopefarm said and keep records of what you had to pay the 2nd guy

camp6ell | 7 years and 7 months ago

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$210 on a $3000 job isn’t worth any effort on either party… he’s not going to spend the time and money and effort on a lien…. you can afford $210 if you really have to… it will work itself out.

evg25 | 7 years and 7 months ago

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Let us be practical. Let him file a mechanic’s lien. The cost involved with filing, Prosecuting and collecting, and renewing, exceeds by at least a factor of 10 the amount he’s looking for. If you ever decide to sell the property, you’ll pay off the lien at that time, if it even exists.

Much success.

slopefarm | 7 years and 7 months ago

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$210?? Pay him. Not worth the tsuris.

However, if you are going to hire someone else to come in and re-do the job and then sue your original contractor for the cost on grounds that the job was done incorrectly and contrary to the contract, then don’t pay him and put him on written notice that you consider him in breach and that is why you aren’t paying, and identify ALL of the deficiencies in the letter. But unless you are planning to escalate like that, just pay him and then give him bad reviews.

mattieweiser1

in General Discussion 7 years and 7 months ago

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Thanks Maggie O, I looked into it and from what I could see it’s not a big issue but I just don’t want it to affect my credit if he hires a collection agency. I could also mention that if he goes after me I will leave an honest review on his yelp page with I am sure he won’t appreciate. He only has a few reviews so I should have been more careful. Lesson learned – I will search beyond yelp for work!

Guest User | 7 years and 7 months ago

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sounds like a real peach. could just be an empty threat tactic, regarding the lien. it costs money to file a lien, though not very much. i would read up on lien law quickly to figure out what his realistic options would actually be if he filed a lien and see if you can figure out whether a lien would have any immediate impact on your property (financing, etc.). my gut here says to call him on it and see if he actually does anything about it, but i don’t know the details of your particular financial situation.

Guest User | 7 years and 7 months ago

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sounds like a real peach. could just be an empty threat tactic, regarding the lien. it costs money to file a lien, though not very much. i would read up on lien law quickly to figure out what his realistic options would actually be if he filed a lien and see if you can figure out whether a lien would have any immediate impact on your property (financing, etc.). my gut here says to call him on it and see if he actually does anything about it, but i don’t know the details of your particular financial situation.