[RPPTL-constructionlaw] 713.10 lien for private leasehold on public land

[Larry Leiby]

The answer is in the definitions in 713.01 (and if you are referring to 8:3 of my book, it is set out there).  The statutory reason that you can't lien publicly owned property is because a governmental owner is not within the definition of owner in 713.01.  The definition of real property also excludes governmentally owned property.  This is intended to keep governmentally owned property out of the lien law because a government must usually go through an election to subject public owned property to liens, e.g., financing bond issues.

An owner is also defined as one having an interest in the property and who enters into a contract for the improvement of the real property.  Thus there is no reason that you cannot have a lien on a private leasehold interest that sits on public property.  You want to be careful when you prepare the lien to only seek it against the leasehold.  Also a lien on a leasehold is typically only as valuable as the tenant is collectable.

Go get em.

Larry R. Leiby, Esq.
Malka & Kravitz, P.A.
1300 Sawgrass Corp. Pkwy., Suite 100
Ft. Lauderdale, FL  33323
Phone:  954-514-0984
Fax:      954-514-0985

e-mail:  leiby at mkpalaw.com

Board Certified in Construction Law
Fla. S. Ct. Certified Circuit Court Civil Mediator
Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators


From: constructionlaw-bounces at lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:constructionlaw-bounces at lists.flabarrpptl.org] On Behalf Of Rafael Perez
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2012 2:56 PM
To: constructionlaw at lists.flabarrpptl.org
Subject: [RPPTL-constructionlaw] 713.10 lien for private leasehold on public land

Does anyone have any authority for a construction lien on a leasehold where the lessee is a private party but the lessor is a municipality (i.e. on public land)?  The lessee contracted for the improvements which were required by the lease agreement.  The only authority I have found is Section 8.3 of the Fla. Prac. Construction Law Manual which states in the first paragraph, in part: "However, there may be private leasehold interests on governmental property that are lienable."   I have found no other authority.

Rafael A. Perez
Board Certified Construction Attorney
McArdle and Perez, P.A.
806 S. Douglas Road, Suite 625
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
305-442-2214
Fax 305-442-2291
rperez at mcper.com<mailto:rperez at mcper.com>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/constructionlaw/attachments/20120202/21815485/attachment.html>