Getting friendly with your local clerk can be a challenge, but the information he/she can provide you with is invaluable to your filing process. Some counties require very specific guidelines for filing. Details as minute as the margins of your document can get your filing rejected; holding up your claim and wasting valuable time. Since liens are time sensitive (see our resources page to calculate your deadlines) these hold ups can keep you from getting paid.
So, how do I,Levelset’s resident clerk-wrangler, get the valuable information that we need to process your documents quickly?
Ask Gretchen.
Just Kidding! The best advice is to know what you need before you call.
If you need to know what the guidelines are for submissions, be sure to ask about margins; necessary fees (including fees for number of pages and for your returned copy); who to make checks payable to; and be sure to include a post-marked, self-addressed, envelope for your returned copy. If you have the option to E-file, be aware of the quality of your scan, as blurry scans will be rejected!
If you are checking on a recording, have the project address/property owner’s name handy. If you are in a city, have the block and lot number. Some counties will not give you information over the phone. Some will refer you to a website where you can look up your recording and sometimes print out your own copy.
Almost all of them are extremely busy and will rattle off critical information at a mile-a-minute. The trick is to be polite, but stern. Keep them on the phone and Get Your Information. If you need them to repeat information, ask them to–as many times as you need.
Some counties use different language for the document you may have submitted. Don’t panic, just ask them to clarify. The important part is to be persistent. Answering your questions is part of their job.
If you don’t feel up to the challenge, there is another simple solution to getting the information you need to get filed and get paid:
File with Levelset!
Let us battle the bureaucrats! Our talented staff will make sure that your lien is processed quickly and correctly the first time, so that you don’t lose valuable time and money. Our easy-to-use Lien Pilot will guide you through the process. We will send it out and follow it up; all the while, keeping you informed and at ease. Our friendly customer service staff is available to you, live for chat or over the phone to answer your questions and give you important resources to help you understand mechanics’ liens laws in your state.