Maine Notice to Owner Form

A mechanic’s lien arises when the labor or materials are supplied. The lien is automatically dissolved, however, unless the supplier records a Notice of Lien in the registry of deeds in the county where the construction project is located within 90 days after the date of last work or materials supplied. Any supplier that has a contract with the owner of the property, however, is exempt from this requirement. In either event, to preserve the lien, a supplier must file within 120 days of the date of the last labor, services, or materials being provided, a complaint in the county or district court division in which the construction project is located. Additionally, a certificate from the clerk of court in which the action is pending, or an attested copy of the lien complaint, must be filed in the registry of deeds within 60 days of the day on which the lien complaint was filed.

This is a complicated and detailed process. It typically makes good sense to hire an experienced Maine attorney to guide you through the process.

In Maine, the proper parties that may file a mechanics lien or are given mechanic lien protection are those that, "performs labor or furnishes labor or materials" to the construction, alteration, repair, or moving of a building. Specifically, parties that are included in these protections include surveyors, architects, engineers, real estate licensees, landscapers, and sellers of land/improvements or structures. Equipment lessors and parties that provide equipment parts are also included. In Maine, there is no limitation on which tiers of a project (subcontractors, etc.) may file a mechanics lien. Therefore, if you fall within any of the previous descriptions of qualified parties, you may file a mechanics lien to prompt payment you are owed. 

Keep in mind that you can file a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Lien form, although they aren't required by the state of Maine, the form is very successful at prompting payment without having to take the next step of filing a lien. If a party refuses to pay your claim or ignores your calls, sending an NOI to that party will let them know that you're serious about collecting your payment. The NOI gives the parties that owe you money one final chance to pay, and the form advises the parties involved that a lien will be filed if payment is not received within 10 days. 

I hope that helps!