A lien waiver is a legal document filed by an equipment rental company, material supplier, subcontractor, contractor, or any other parties who are potential lien claimants. It is given to the overall construction project. The document states that the claimant waives their future rights to a lien against the property, as long as the property was improved to the standards specified in the waiver.
The basic idea of a lien waiver is to function similarly to a receipt. If a contractor receives a payment of $100,000, they will then file a lien waiver stating that they waive $100,000 in their lien rights. It’s an acknowledgement that part of or all of a lien has been paid off by the property owner.
There are four main categories of waivers. The two general types refer to “unconditional” and “conditional” waivers. These are the four types:
Conditional waiver with partial or progress payments
Conditional waiver for a final payment
Unconditional waiver with partial or progress payments
Conditional waiver for a final payment
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A conditional waiver is, as the title implies, a waiver that comes with conditions. It states that the claimant will release their lien rights if the property owner meets certain predetermined conditions. In most cases, these conditions are just the claimant’s receipt of payment.
This type of waiver can be given to the property owner before any payment is necessary. When the property owner pays the claimant, the waiver will automatically go into effect.
An unconditional waiver is the type of document that might have complicated consequences. A waiver of this kind is enforceable and effective as soon as it’s signed, whether or not payment has been made. For this reason, this type of waiver should only be used after a claimant has received payment.