what is the process to lien a mobile home in the State of Arizona? We repiped his trailer and he didn't pay.
1 reply
Jun 9, 2020
Generally speaking, work on mobile homes won't give rise to mechanics lien rights. Mechanics lien rights are available to those who permanently improve real property - generally via construction. And, the mechanics lien attaches to the real estate where the property is located, not to movable property located on that land. When work is done on movable property (like a mobile home), if permanent improvement isn't made to the real estate, a valid lien can't attach to the underlying land.
With that being said, work that's attached to the underlying real estate could give rise to lien rights. So, if the piping you're talking about is permanently attached to the underlying land, it's possible that a lien could be appropriate. If the work was done for the tenant of that land and not the fee owner, though, tenant improvement considerations would have to be taken into account. More on that here: What Happens to Mechanics Lien Rights If My Project is a Tenant Improvement?
Obviously, mechanics lien rights are only one tool for payment recovery. Tools like invoice reminders and payment demand letters could be useful for forcing a customer to pay. Further, proceeding with legal claims - potentially in small claims court - could be an option, too. Plus, sending the debt to collections is always on the table.