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I have Finished a Project in Oregon and have not been paid the full contracted amount.

I am a contractor in Washington State and I do not have an Oregon Business License. I have a Contract and have been paid approxamatly 35% of the contract to date. It is a Comercial Project, which has been finished. The owners have said I cannot lien because I do not have a OR License.How do I get the rest of the money.

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Apr 17, 2020

Unlicensed contractors generally aren't able to file mechanics liens in Oregon when the work requires a license. Further, unlicensed contractors typically aren't able to file contract claims. However, there may be some cause for hope. Based on this article from K&L Gates, there may be some exceptions to the rule in certain circumstances: No License; No Claim; No Recovery: Oregon Contractors Beware! But, it looks like there's a lot of nuance there - so it'd be wise to consult a local Oregon construction attorney before deciding how to proceed with recovering payment. Additionally, keep in mind that threats of mechanics lien claims and legal action could be useful to force payment. So, if there's reason to believe that a claim could still be appropriate, threatening to pursue that claim just might lead to payment. Meaning, a Notice of Intent to Lien or a demand letter could still be useful.

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May 11, 2020

If you still have not been paid, allow a licensed and bonded Commercial Collection Agency in Oregon collect the account on a contingency fee bases; this way you are not spending good money chasing a bad account. If you would like a free quote send email to srauch@rauchmilliken.com . Best regards getting paid, Steve

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