best lien filing services in florida

If you are considering filing a mechanics lien in Florida in order to collect money that you are owed, you may ask yourself if you should do it yourself, hire a lien filing service, or turn it over to your attorney? We can’t answer that question for you because every situation is different, but we can give you information to help you make an informed choice and feel confident that it’s done right. This post details some of the best mechanics lien filing services in Florida. If you decide to file your lien claim through an online service, here are some of the best options.

Best Lien Filing Services in Florida with Reviews

LienItNow

  • Website: www.lienitnow.com
  • Location: Hackensack, NJ
  • Year started: 2007
  • Reviews:
    • 5 stars and A+ rating on BBB (4 reviews)
    • 5 stars on Facebook (3 reviews)
  • Services and Costs:
    • Notice to Owner – $50
    • Mechanic’s liens – $299
    • Bond claims – $279
    • Lien discharge (removal) – $125

LienItNow has a simple three-step process to filing a mechanic’s lien that allows you to see the document being edited in real-time as you add your information. Here’s a simple breakdown of the process:

  1. Complete an online form that will take 10 minutes.
  2. The information you entered is checked by their staff, and a completed lien document is sent to you.
  3. You review it, download it, sign it, then return it to Lien It Now for recording and serving.

It takes about 48 hours for the completed lien to be sent, after completion of step one. Rush, same-day service is available for an additional fee.

With a support line and live chat displayed prevalently on their website, you should be able to get in touch with their team and they can help with your exact payment problem.

The pricing page on their website is riddled with asterisks* that reflects “do it yourself pricing” or “full service” pricing, forcing you to do a little math and weigh a variety of options before deciding how to proceed.

Tradition Notice Services

  • Website: traditionlienservice.com
  • Location: Warrenville, IL
  • Year Founded: 2005
  • Reviews:
    • No reviews available
  • Services:
    • Notice to owner
    • Lien & Bond Claim Filing – $165 + county recording fee
    • Web portal to view & track services provided
    • Desktop Software to manage notices & waivers

Tradition Notice Services, and its companion company Tradition Software, were established in 2005 and have only two employees. This is a small company offering software-based solutions with a layer of services.

Their technology is used by several companies. Although the operation is small, and support for the software is a constant demand (especially the on-premises software), Traditional Notice Services is a reliable, reputable company that has been helping contractors and suppliers for almost 15 years.

Zinarro Notice to Owner

  • Website: fla-nto.com
  • Location: Palm Harbor, FL
  • Year started: 2011
  • Reviews:
    • No reviews available
  • Services and Costs:
    • Notice to owner – $49
    • Mechanic’s liens – $125
    • Lien discharge (removal) – $85

Zinarro’s lien service is backed by a law firm, Zinzow Law, which makes it a good bet for filing a lien in Florida. With a law firm under its wing, this firm can provide legal advice and answer any questions you might have about a payment issue.

Their service works like many of the others we’ve explored. You submit a form online, pay for the services you require, and sit back and wait for the documents to be created and verified. The service will take care of the recording of the lien and sending notice to the owner and any other parties who need to be notified.

Zinarro’s promises a three-day turnaround time once the information is submitted, with the option to pay more for expedited, same-day service.

Their website has an abundance of resources for those filing notices or liens in Florida. They offer forms, copies of the statutes, and a link to the law firm’s blog, where many lien-related questions are answered.

Fair Construction Liens

  • Website: fairconstructionliens.com
  • Location: Clearwater, FL
  • Year started: 2008
  • Reviews:
    • No reviews available
  • Services and Costs:
    • Mechanic’s liens – $295 (rush $395)

Like the previous company, Fair Construction Liens is backed by a law firm, Fair Law. It is owned by Andrea M. Fair, a construction lawyer. Fair only provides lien filing services, including the creation of a Claim of Lien, Contractor’s Final Payment Affidavit (if applicable), Notice of Non-Payment (if applicable), and demand letters to the owner and your customer.

Fair’s lien filing pricing is higher than some of the other services we’ve listed here. However, an attorney is directly involved in the research and filing of the lien, so there is a higher level of service being provided that makes the extra cost worth it.

Having an attorney readily available to answer your questions and take on the foreclosure procedure if it is needed may save you money in the long run.

Levelset (formerly zlien)

Levelset is a full-service lien document processor, like some of the other companies on this list. Levelset provides solutions to all of your payment problems. The focus is not on providing a platform for filing lien claims, but on reaching an understanding that will allow everyone to get what they deserve.

They do this by focusing on the SET methodology (See everyone on the job – Exchange paperwork – Talk it out if there is a payment problem). Their service allows customers to identify everyone who needs to be paid and try to work out disagreements before a lien needs to be filed. If that doesn’t work, however, the user can file a lien claim through the platform in Florida, and nearly every other state.

Their website is built as an information hub for all things related to construction payments and the lien process. If you have a question regarding a lien or a required notice, you are bound to find the answer on their website, without the attorney’s fees.

Should you file a lien yourself or hire a lien service?

“How hard can it be to file a mechanic’s lien?” you ask yourself. Well, although it may not be hard, there are lots of details that need to be brought together so your lien is valid.

You first want to make sure you know Florida’s lien filing process. How long do you have to file it and what does the Florida Lien form need to look like? Some states have very specific wording and formatting requirements, and if your document doesn’t meet these standards, it will be invalid.

The data you provide on the lien document (owner info, customer info, job address) must be 100% accurate or your lien will not be valid. Good research is a necessity when filing a lien.

Due to the statutory deadlines for filing a lien, you often need to act quickly. Lien services can help track these deadlines while you continue doing what you do best.

After the lien has been recorded, notice must be sent to the parties involved by registered mail. You must track and keep the documentation that proves the notice was sent to each party, in case you must foreclose on the lien.

If you decide to file a lien yourself, it is advisable to get some help, such as Rocket Lawyer, Simplifile, or you can reach out to an attorney on the Levelset Community to be sure you know what you’re doing before filing. Levelset is willing to help you as much or as little as you want.

Problems with lien services

Most lien services will not be able to provide you with legal advice, so if that is what you are looking for, you’ll have to talk to an attorney or use one that has an attorney in-house.

Be sure to check each one out thoroughly before deciding. Look at their software and user experience (ask to see a demo), their reputation (ask for references), and their stability.

How much does it cost to file a mechanic’s lien?

The process of filing a lien is complicated. There are some costs you will have to pay no matter how you choose to file your lien. These hidden costs include recording fees, serving or mailing costs, and the cost for the time it takes to gather the data to complete the lien form.

If you choose to file the lien yourself, you will need to pay the costs above plus the cost of your time to prepare the lien document, file it with the recorder, and then mail the lien documents to the parties involved. You will also have to pay for either discharge of the lien if you get paid or for a lawsuit to foreclose on the lien if you do not.

Attorneys may charge you a flat fee for the preparation of the lien document, they may charge hourly, or it may be part of a retainer agreement. You can expect to pay over $1000 for the preparation of the lien, and you will have to pay the hidden costs above as well. Then there will be additional costs to discharge the lien or foreclose on it.

Lien services will charge from $300 to $500 to process a lien document. Make sure you know which costs are included in their fee so there are no surprises. Discharge of a lien is around $100, but you will need to use an attorney if you must foreclose.

Do I have the right to file a lien (Can I file a lien)?

In Florida, filing a lien is a statutory right that you gain as a result of working on or providing materials for real property improvements. Since the work and materials can’t be “returned,” the law allows you to file a lien and attach it to the property if you aren’t paid.

In Florida general contractors, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers, and rental equipment providers all have the right to file a lien if they aren’t paid. If you have sent all the documents you were supposed to send, then you have the right to this payment remedy, as long as you are within the window of time allowed by the law.

If you aren’t sure what your next step should be in trying to collect a late payment, check out our Payment Rights Advisor.

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