Opinion ID: 2516359
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: party obligated to pay the lien

Text: K.S.A. 60-1103(c) also requires that a subcontractor notify any party obligated to pay the lien. The Chartrands argue that they were obligated to pay the lien, and since Owen Lumber failed to notify them of the mechanic's lien, the lien is unenforceable. The district court ruled in favor of the Chartrands, finding that they were obligated to pay the lien and that Owen Lumber should have provided them notice pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1103(c). In doing so, the district court stated: In this case, with respect to a statute that requires service of the notice upon `any party obligated to pay the lien,' I think it is clear that a party who has filed a notice of equitable ownership and who is the party against whom the creditor who is the only party the creditor chooses to proceed against must be given notice of the lien claim in the manner required by K.S.A. 60-1103(c). At the time the mechanic's lien was filed, the Chartrands were not any party obligated to pay the lien. The only party obligated to pay the lien was Design Build, as owners of the legal interest in the property. The Chartrands only became a party obligated to pay the lien after they took legal interest in the property by quitclaim deed from Design Build. By taking the property by quitclaim deed from Design Build, the Chartrands chose to voluntarily make themselves a party obligated to pay the lien. Owen Lumber, however, was under no obligation to provide notice of the mechanic's lien to the Chartrands when Design Build was the legal owner of the property and the only party obligated to pay the lien. The parties do not address the effect of a quitclaim deed. We, therefore, do not consider it either. We would draw the parties' attention to Ennis v. Tucker, 78 Kan. 55, 96 Pac. 140 (1908), and Schwalm v. Deanhardt, 21 Kan. App.2d 667, Syl. ¶ 2, 906 P.2d 167 (1995). We express no opinion as to their applicability to this case. We hold that the district court erred in ruling that the mechanic's lien filed by Owen Lumber is unenforceable and remand to the district court for further proceeding in accordance with this opinion.