HomeMy WebLinkAbout96-05853
Office of the Prothonotary of Cumberland County until June 28,
1996, after Subcontractor had begun work on the property.
subcontractor's
performance
was
~loeful1y
unsatisfactory.
Contractor devoted substantial resources in time, equipment and
ma terials to correct the gross inadequacies of Subcontractor's
work. Subcontractor sought payment from Contractor. Contractor
refused to pay Subcontractor's entire bill of $7,995.00 but instead
paid an amount deemed by Contractor to be the fair market value of
the materials, labor, equipment and the like supplied by
Subcontractor. Subcontractor filed a Mechanics Lien claim against
the Owners on October 24, 1996.
To date, Subcontractor has failed to observe any of the
procedural requirements to obtain the Mechanics Lien claim.
II. A.
CLAIMANT I S FAILURE TO GIVE FORMAL WRITTEN NOTICE OF
INTENT TO FILE A MECHANICS LIEN CLAIM
The Legislature enacted the Mechanics Lien Law of 1963, 49
P.S. !'j1501, et seq. (hereinafter referred .to as "the Act.") as an
extraordinary relief available to contractors and subcontractors to
provide a speedy and economic method to obtain payment for service
rendered. Hoffman Lumber Co. v. Geesey. 35 Fa.D&C.2d 200, 203 (1964).
The right to a mechanics lien is purely a creature
of statute, and it is only available if the conditions of
the Legislature are strictly followed.
Renan, Inc. v. PNL. Inc., 67 D&C 2d 430,433 (1970), citing Brann
& stuart Co. v. Consolidated Sun Rav. Inc., 433 Pa. 574, 253 A.2d
105 (1969), cert. denied 396 U.S. 840, 90 S. ct. 102, 24 L.Ed 2d 91
(1969) and Murrav v. Zemon, 402 Pa. 354,
A.2d
(1960) .
2
Section 1501(b) of the Act provides:
(b)' Formal Notice in All Cases by subcontractor.
No claim by a subcontractor. . . shall be valid unless,
at least thirty (30) days BEFORE the same is filed, he
shall have given to the owner a ~ORMAL WRITTEN NOTICE of
his intention to file a olaim, . . . .
49 P.S. s1501(b) (emphasis added).
Section 1501(c) of the Act describes the required contents of
the Formal Written Notice.
Section 1501(d) of the Act provides for the required manner of
service for the Formal Written Notice.
The Court may consider the exhibits a~tached to the plaintiffls complsint
to determine plaintiff's status as a contractor or subcontractor. Renen, Inc.,
at 4)).
Section 1503(4) of the-Act provides:
The claim shall state:
(4) if filed by a subcontractor, . . . the dates on
which. . . formal notice of intention to file a claim was
given.
49 P.S. S1503(4) (emphasis added).
A mechanics lien claim that fails to allege the thirty (30)
day Formal Written Notice of intent to file a claim is defective on
its face.
zeialer Lumber and Suoolv Co. 'v. Golden Trianale
Develooment Co.. Inc., 229 Pa. Super 548,326 A.2d 524, 525 (1974).
A Court has no discretion to refuso to strike a lien where
Claimant failed to strictly comply with the procedure.
Flick
Construction, Inc. v. Dvke, 401 Pa. Super. 168, 584 A.2d 1033, 1034
3
19. Under Section 1502(a)(2) of the Act, tho Court HtwLl
strike off the Claim when Claimant has fat led to f L 10 iHI At Ilclav L t
of Servlce in a tlmely manner.
d. In the alternatLve. Claimant,',; [,llluru ita CCJotf'dclQJ:
to identi fy il cont rileI'. w L 1lLJ1.W1.lll.L.
20. Paragraphs 1-19 af'o Incorp'H'.t1,Prl horoLn by ['(,[orronco.
21. Claimant has faL1l~d to prov 1,\1, an LdpnlL f lcatlon of a
contract between Claimant and OWlwr Ml IP'lULIOd by lloctLon 1503(5)
of the Act.
22. Claimant's Pleading is dol.'''l.Ivo Iln Lln IlIc'" ,
23. Under Section 1502(01)(2) 01 lito Al,t, tho Court shall
strike off the Claim when CLaLmdnt hall IdLlod to IdontLfy a
contract between Claimant and Owner.
WHEREFORE, Owners, Gregg A. GuIdon dnrl lIarburll H. Guldon, as
Owners of the property at lssue pray thin IhlllOl'ilbLo Court t.o find
that Claimant is barred from obtaLnlnq II MochunL,)l1 L.Len because
Claimant has fatally falled to IlbSPI'Vll the notlco and filing
requirements of the "Mechanics 1.1<011 (,.I~I 01 1963" and its
amendments; and to strLko ol'l Ih" Mod"lnl,'" LLon Claim filed
against them by Lorno G. ~j,dl"rt, Inc.; dnrl to "lward reasonable
attorneys fees to ownon; L n 1110 ,lIIlllunl of $'i00. 00.
H"'lIH'Cl.lul I Y submitted,
;;UllljJt.AVlmNEY ,
( ) ,/'/ /,'
My It:C(, /C(/ f' &(/c?
ImnLoL J. So u~, Esquire
I. D. No. 63114
" I rv l ne Row
Cdl'lLsle PA 17013
(717) 243-9190
Al.l,nrrwy for Owners
nOB II. KRUO
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LORNE G. SEIFERT, INC. , ~ \Q 9.
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Clllimant NO. tJ~,.5If5'3 (:) ili~
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f~w' .::- m~
CIVIL ACTION -
GREGG A. GLJLIJEN n '"\ ~..I,.J :<>
~?~ :T.
IJARnARA R . GIILIJEN, hlw,
Own"rs :Pt~' 'P. 9.
~f t ~" ~
-<. (.J
MECIIANICS LIEN CLAIM
1. The Claimant, LORNE G. SEIFERT, INC., is a
Pennsy.! vanln Corporation with a plnce of husiness at P.O. 130.
4/.3, 1JI,II.I'lhurll, York County, Pennsylvania, 17019.
2. (:REra: A. r:LJLIJEN nnd IIARIIARA R. GULUEN, his wife, nre
th" own..rl'l nf thnt certnin trnct of land situate in South
Middleton Townl'lhlp, Cnmhcrl.nnd County, Pennsylvania as shown on
that certain deed recorded in Record Book 139, Page 278. The
addreMI of !Illld property Is 816 1I011y Pike, Mount 1I011y,
Sprinll!l, Cumherlnnd County, Pennsylvania.
(A copy of the
description of I'Inld property Is nttnched hereto ns Exhihit A.)
3. On June 26, 1996, the Claimant completed work s a
concrete contrnctor In connection with an improvement 0 said
property mentioned above.
4. The mnterinls were furnIshed by the Clnimnnt p rsuant
to th~ propol'lal hetween Clnlmant, the Owner!l, and the G neral
Contrnctor. (A copy or I'lnld propol'lal
Is attached
heret1
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marked E.hihit n.)
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