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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:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>We had a similar case a few years back. The client didn’t want to spend a lot of money on it, so we bonded around the lien and sold the property.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The “contractor” never “perfected” his lien by filing a lawsuit within the statutory time frame. That was that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>James A. Jackson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Simburg Ketter Sheppard & Purdy, LLP<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>999 Third Ave., #2525<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Seattle, WA 98104</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#1F497D'>T: (206) 382-2600<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#1F497D'>F: (206) 223-3929<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>This electronic message contains confidential or privileged information. If you are not the individual or entity named above, please be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents is prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at 206-382-2600, fax at 206-223-3929 or by electronic mail at <a href="mailto:sksp@sksp.com"><span style='color:blue'>sksp@sksp.com</span></a> <<<a href="mailto:sksp@sksp.com"><span style='color:blue'>mailto:sksp@sksp.com</span></a>>> . Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Maureen Wickert [mailto:wickertlaw@comcast.net] <br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 14, 2015 11:43 AM<br><b>To:</b> scott scottgthomaslaw.com; WSBA Real Property Listserv<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] crazy contractor's lien<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Josh, The many noted comments provide very good information about the lien. For good measure, you may want throw in as well against the alleged contractors a Vulnerable Adult Protection Order (RCW 74.34) for financial exploitation. The alleged contractors smell of scammers and prying on the vulnerable. I don't think Adult Protection Service would be too happy with them. Although, Adult Protection Service does not investigate all matters. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Very truly yours,<br>Maureen A. Wickert, Attorney at Law<br> <br> WICKERT LAW OFFICE<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>14900 Interurban Avenue South, Ste 255<br> Tukwila, WA 98168<br> Phone: 206-859-5502<br> Fax: 206-260-9005<br> <a href="http://www.wickertlawoffice.com">www.wickertlawoffice.com</a><br> <a href="mailto:wickertlaw@comcast.net">wickertlaw@comcast.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>This electronic message contains information which may be confidential and/or legally privileged. The information is intended for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this transmission is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify me by telephone or by email immediately.<br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='color:black'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center id=zwchr></span></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>From: </span></b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"scott scottgthomaslaw.com" <<a href="mailto:scott@scottgthomaslaw.com">scott@scottgthomaslaw.com</a>><br><b>To: </b>"WSBA Real Property Listserv" <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br><b>Sent: </b>Monday, September 14, 2015 11:24:29 AM<br><b>Subject: </b>Re: [WSBARP] crazy contractor's lien<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>See RCW 60.04.081 to get a frivolous lien released. I have used this procedure several times, and find it effective. The amount of a lien is the contract price, RCW 60.04.021, and that seems to have increased unrealistically based on your facts. You may also want to question if they did only the cleanup agreed upon by the client, or went out of their way to provide extra (unlienable) services. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>As to clean up work, see RCW 60.04.011(4), which defines “furnishing labor, professional services, materials, or equipment” broadly as “the performance of any labor or professional services, the contribution owed to any employee benefit plan on account of any labor, the provision of any supplies or materials, and the renting, leasing, or otherwise supplying of equipment for the improvement of real property.” “Labor” is defined to include “exertion of the powers of body or mind performed at the site for compensation.” RCW 60.04.011(7). Arguably, hauling off furniture to clean up a site is labor. But see also (but don't get overly excited about) TPST Soil Recyclers of Wash., Inc. v. W.F. Anderson Constr., Inc., 91 Wn. App. 297, 957 P.2d 265 (1998). The logic of the case seems suspect, but but there may be a "maintenance" vs. "improvement" distinction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Finally, you correctly point out that an unregistered contractor has no right to pursue a debt for the contractor's work in court.<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>On September 14, 2015 at 10:32 AM Josh Grant <<a href="mailto:jgrant@accima.com">jgrant@accima.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>My client, a 83 year old widow, hired some neighborhood “friends”, one couple, to help her dispose of furniture and property in a home after her husband died. They worked a few days, she paid them $2000, and later they wanted more, having “forgotten” the $2000... Then characterizing the $2000 as a gift.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> They recorded a contractor’s lien on the property for $8,500. It reads: “I did furnish the following labor and/or materials: 10 weeks – assisting, cleaning, packing, moving to storage, yard work, rubish[sic] removal”.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>They did record the lien within about a week of the last day they were on the property.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Home is assessed at $108,000 by Grant County.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> No one, of course, is a licensed contractor.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> The form doesn’t refer to any particular statutory lien, however, it is on the form customarily used by contractors. (the footer on the lien form says NOVA LF 136 Claim of Lien Pg2 (07-11). Not sure where they got it. They Hand wrote in the spaces that are not pre-printed.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>I assume that a complaint for defamation of title and for quiet title will free up the lien so the widow can sell.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Without doing research, I assume further that one cannot lien up real property after cleaning .<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Any thoughts? Any other causes of action?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Josh<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></blockquote><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><br> <o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>_______________________________________________<br>WSBARP mailing list<br><a href="mailto:WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><br> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=io-ox-signature><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Scott G. Thomas<br>Law Office of Scott G. Thomas<br>1204 Cleveland Avenue<br>Mount Vernon, WA 98273<br>(360) 503-1042<br><a href="http://www.scottgthomaslaw.com">www.scottgthomaslaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Because this is a communication from a lawyer, it necessarily contains warnings such as this. I am a lawyer, but unless we have entered into an agreement for legal services, I am not your lawyer. And, if this message was intended for someone else but you have inadvertently received it, I ask that you delete the message and let me know you received it so that I can take steps to make sure you do not receive messages in the future. Thank you. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><br>_______________________________________________<br>WSBARP mailing list<br><a href="mailto:WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>