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2007 SESSION
074423844Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 43-4 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 43-4. Perfection of lien by general contractor; recordation and notice.
A general contractor, or any other lien claimant under §§ 43-7
and 43-9, in order to perfect the lien given by § 43-3, provided such lien has
not been barred by § 43-4.01 C, shall file a memorandum of lien at any time
after the work is commenced or material furnished, but not later than 90 days
from the last day of the month in which he last performs labor or furnishes
material, and in no event later than 90 days from the time such building,
structure, or railroad is completed, or the work thereon otherwise terminated.
The memorandum shall be filed in the clerk's office in the county or city in
which the building, structure or railroad, or any part thereof is located. The
memorandum shall show the names of the owner of the property sought to be
charged, and of the claimant of the lien, the amount and consideration of his
claim, and the time or times when the same is or will be due and payable,
verified by the oath of the claimant, or his agent, including a statement
declaring his intention to claim the benefit of the lien, and giving a brief
description of the property on which he claims a lien. It shall be the duty of
the clerk in whose office the memorandum is filed to record and index the same
as provided in § 43-4.1, in the name of the claimant of the lien and of the
owner of the property. It shall [ also ] be
the duty of the [ clerk claimant
] to send written notice of the recordation of the lien by first class mail
to the owner of the property at the owner's last known address [ and
provide a copy to the clerk and certify that the written notice has been mailed
to the owner of the property ] . From the time of such
recording and indexing or from the time of mailing the notice, whichever
occurs last, all persons shall be deemed to have notice thereof. A lien
claimant who is a general contractor also shall file along with the memorandum
of lien, a certification of mailing of a copy of the memorandum of lien on the
owner of the property at the owner's last known address. The cost of recording
the memorandum and the cost of mailing the notice by the clerk shall be
taxed against the person found liable in any judgment or decree enforcing such
lien. The lien claimant may file any number of memoranda but no memorandum
filed pursuant to this chapter shall include sums due for labor or materials
furnished more than 150 days prior to the last day on which labor was performed
or material furnished to the job preceding the filing of such memorandum.
However, any memorandum may include (i) sums withheld as retainages with
respect to labor performed or materials furnished at any time before it is
filed, but not to exceed 10 percent of the total contract price and (ii) sums
which are not yet due because the party with whom the lien claimant contracted
has not yet received such funds from the owner or another third party. The time
limitations set forth herein shall apply to all labor performed or materials
furnished on construction commenced on or after July 1, 1980.