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December 6, 2013Guide2 min read

Mechanics Liens to Bad debt - a demand letter - can get you paid

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By Thomas Emalfarb, Esq. · Updated January 20, 2024

Everyone from the material supplier to the subcontractor in the construction industry has trouble getting paid at some point. In fact, when Construction Week Online conducted a poll inquiring who in the industry had payment problems, it found that a whopping 0% - that's right, zero percent - reported they were always "paid in full and on time."

Payment applications and invoices get sent out, and then it's unfortunately a battle to always get cash flowing. What can you do to mitigate these circumstances and get paid more and more often?

The answer may be quite simple - sending a demand letter.. With over 35 years of experience and independent local in all state, we can do that for you no matter what state the work was performed.

Getting Your Account Paid Means Prioritizing Your Invoice With Your Customer

Non-paying customers are not uncommon, One website I really love is the "World's Longest Invoice," which is just an on-going list of people and companies across the country who are not paying their bills.

If you're going to turn a non-paying account into a paying account, you must first ask why the customer isn't paying. In most cases, it's because your invoice is not a priority for that customer. This frequently boils down to something very simple: following up on invoices and amping up the pressure to pay.

Payment Demands From Attorneys Presses The Right Buttons To Get You Paid

When follow-up phone calls, emails, and correspondence just doesn't work, it's time to start considering your other options. At the end of the tunnel is litigation, and you'll want to avoid litigation if at all possible due to the costs. You can also file a mechanics lien, but you need to make sure that all the proper notices etc., have gone out, and you are licensed in the state the work was performed. Before these legal remedies; however, you may get good results from a simple and ineffective step: sending an attorney demand letter.

An attorney demand letter will accomplish two very important things:

  1. It will communicate to your customer that you are serious about the debt, and it will prioritize your account;
  2. The lawyer letter will put you in your best collectable position by availing you of all laws on your side to protect your right to payment.

There's no reason why you should avoid sending a demand letter from an attorney. It's easy, and can be very affordable. We can send an attorney demand letter for you. Once a debtor receives a demand letter from an attorney they generally pay up.

demand letter
mechanics lien
bad debt
construction payment
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