Lien it if you can
I had a client call me a few months back who wanted me to file a lien on his behalf on a project in a Detroit residential community. I’d filed some liens for “Jack” before, and usually they were for small amounts (under $4,000) and fairly straightforward. I said...
How do you handle customers who don’t qualify for credit? Part 1 of 2
I was prompted to attempt to answer the question to myself after noticing a similar question in a recent credit manager association group. I suppose we should first consider who does qualify for credit. Even in doing this, there are some basics to review. The Credit...
Protect your lien rights
There used to be a time when a lien was considered taboo in the construction industry. If a contractor liened the job (often working for the builder), the reaction was pretty clear – no more working for that builder. For the average Joe who hasn’t yet cut his first...
The project owner and the Michigan Builders Trust Fund Act
The very act of hiring work out on your construction project creates the potential for a lien. The passage of the Michigan Construction Lien Act 497 of 1980 created the guidelines by which a lien was to be perfected. The Act protects both the owner of the real...About the Author
Jeff Masters is a lifelong Michigan resident who has found his niche as a respected and trusted credit manager / accountant in the Detroit metropolitan area. For twenty years he has worked in the construction industry for building materials suppliers, and possesses considerable experience... Read more