60-1103a. Subcontractors' liens; improvement of residential property. (a) As used in this section, "improvement of residential property" means:

(1) Improvement of a preexisting structure in which the owner resides at the time the claimant first furnishes labor, equipment, material or supplies and which is not used or intended for use as a residence for more than two families or for commercial purposes or improvement or construction of any addition, garage, fence, swimming pool, outbuilding or other improvement appurtenant to such a structure; or

(2) any construction upon real property which is (A) owned or acquired by an individual at the time the claimant first furnishes labor, equipment, material or supplies; (B) intended to become and does become the principal personal residence of that individual upon completion; and (C) not used or intended for use as a residence for more than two families or for commercial purposes.

(b) A lien for the furnishing of labor, equipment, materials or supplies for the improvement of residential property may be claimed pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1103 and amendments thereto only if the claimant has:

(1) Mailed to any one of the owners of the property a warning statement conforming with this section; or

(2) in the claimant's possession a copy of a statement signed and dated by any one owner of the property stating that the general contractor or the claimant had given the warning statement conforming with this section to one such owner of the property.

(c) The warning statement provided for by this section, to be effective, shall contain substantially the following statement:

"Notice to owner: (name of supplier or subcontractor) is a supplier or subcontractor providing materials or labor on Job No. ______ at (residence address) under an agreement with (name of contractor). Kansas law will allow this supplier or subcontractor to file a lien against your property for materials or labor not paid for by your contractor unless you have a waiver of lien signed by this supplier or subcontractor. If you receive a notice of filing of a lien statement by this supplier or subcontractor, you may withhold from your contractor the amount claimed until the dispute is settled."

(d) The warning statement provided for by this section shall not be required if the claimant's total claim does not exceed $250.

History: L. 1986, ch. 217, § 2; January 1, 1987.