Home>Levelset Community>Legal Help>i did a job for a private party doing drywall work. he refused to pay me unless i did additional work that was not specified in our agreemen can can i do anything about it
i did a job for a private party doing drywall work. he refused to pay me unless i did additional work that was not specified in our agreemen can can i do anything about it
a friend of mine who is a legal aid said that only lic contractors can file a lien
1 reply
Sep 7, 2018
Michigan has strict rules with respect to licensing requirements. Michigan law requires all parties who hold themselves out for work to the public, and who are expected to receive more than $600 in construction work, to be licensed. The penalties for not having a license can be fairly severe.
In Michigan unlicensed residential contractors are not only denied the ability to file a valid and enforceable mechanics lien in response to nonpayment for work, s/he also cannot institute or maintain any actions for compensation. This means that an unlicensed contractor can basically be forced to work for free, if the benefiting party decides not to pay. Further, performing construction work without a license can even be a misdemeanor or felony in some cases.
It's never a good idea to file an improper lien, and unlicensed contractors have no ability to file a lien that is enforceable. That does not necessarily mean that, in a purely practical sense, a lien cannot be filed by a party who is unlicensed, however. Generally, county recorders do not act as gate-keepers for parties filing liens.