Bill > H1367

This bill amends Chapter 254 of the General Laws concerning contractor and subcontractor liens, specifically modifying Section 8. The key change is to the timeframe within which a lien must be dissolved, meaning the legal claim on a property for unpaid work or materials must be resolved. Previously, the law required a statement of the amount due, credits, property description, and owner names to be filed within a certain period. This bill clarifies and potentially extends these deadlines, establishing the earliest of four conditions as the trigger for dissolution: ninety days after filing a notice of substantial completion, one hundred and twenty days after filing a notice of termination, one hundred and twenty days after the last day labor or materials were furnished, or, for certain residential properties (one to four dwelling units), two years after filing a "Notice of Contract," which is a formal notification of an agreement for construction work. The bill also clarifies that a lien under Section 1 requires a similar statement filed within ninety days, including the owner's name at the time the work was done or the statement was filed, and importantly, allows for the filing of this statement even before the notices of substantial completion or termination are filed.