Home>Levelset Community>Legal Help>I am a realtor and have supplied labor, marketing and $$ to a client. He decided to sell the house outside of my contract and has refused to reimburse me for $$ spent. May I file a lien against his property.
I am a realtor and have supplied labor, marketing and $$ to a client. He decided to sell the house outside of my contract and has refused to reimburse me for $$ spent. May I file a lien against his property.
I am a realtor and have supplied labor, marketing and $$ to a client. He decided to sell the house outside of my contract and has refused to reimburse me for $$ spent. May I file a lien against his property.
1 reply
Mar 21, 2019
I'm sorry to hear you've gone unpaid for your work - no one should have to scratch and claw to receive what they've already earned. Regarding mechanics lien rights - mechanics lien rights are generally available to those who perform construction work which permanently improves the property where work is performed. Where work does not permanently improve the project property, generally, mechanics lien rights won't arise. While a small minority of states allow lien rights for real estate agents, these states are the exception to the rule - and, unless specifically set out by statute, those who do not perform work that improves property typically won't be able to file a valid and enforceable lien claim. Of course, that doesn't mean that some other remedy won't be available against the nonpaying party. Threatening to file suit, filing an action in small claims court, or proceeding with litigation could all be potential routes for recovery. But, because this is a little outside of our expertise at the Construction Legal Center, I'm afraid I might not be best suited to provide much more information on the subject. However, there are some other resources available online that might be of use - like Avvo, Lawyers.com, or JustAnswer. At each of these sites, individuals can ask questions and receive answers from lawyers in their area who practice in all different fields - including real estate law.