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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Dear subcommittee: I have a question I would appreciate your input on. Is a Notice to Owner to the Fee Simple Owner required when the contractor is in privity with the lessee?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>My instinct was immediately “of course.” However, section 713.01 defines owner as “a person who is the owner of any legal or equitable interest in real property, which interest can be sold by legal process, and who enters into a contract for the improvement of the real property.” A leasehold interest is an equitable interest in real property.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>So could it be that a lessee with whom the lienor is in privity is deemed “owner” for NTO purposes such that no notice to owner is required <u>and</u> the lien attaches to the fee simple interest (assuming the lease requires the lessee to make improvements to the property and there is no limitation of lien rights recorded by the fee owner)?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=259 valign=top style='width:2.7in;border-top:solid gray 1.5pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid gray 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Justin R. Zinzow<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Board Certified Construction Specialist</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>AV Preeminent® Rated Attorney<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>P: (727) 787-3121<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>F: (727) 787-3231<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>35111 US Highway 19 N, Suite 302<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Palm Harbor, Florida 34684<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.zinzowlaw.com/attorney-profiles/Justin-Zinzow/"><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"'>Bio</span></a><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> | </span><a href="http://www.zinzowlaw.com/"><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"'>Website</span></a><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> | </span><a href="mailto:%20jzinzow@zinzowlaw.com"><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"'>Email</span></a><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=331 valign=top style='width:3.45in;border-top:solid gray 1.5pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid gray 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='color:#1F497D'><img border=0 width=192 height=160 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D404A9.3213A780" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01D0BDB4.D6A53AA0"></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Construction | Real Estate | Appellate | Business</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>