Why Renting Equipment Locally Is Better for Lien Releases
When trying to get a lien release from a big-box equipment rental company, have you ever felt that you weren’t getting the personalized service and quick attention that you needed; that the person at the call center was dealing with one of hundreds of people during their day and you were just an account number?
Also, did they call you back right away? Probably not. Most large equipment rental companies take up to 48 hours to respond to your call.
At Synergy Equipment, our focus is local. Local customers. Local relationships. Local service. And local lien releases.
When you call Synergy for a lien release, you’ll talk to the local branch administrator. She has all the information about your account right at her fingertips and on her computer screen. She can tell you in detail what’s going on with your account, and when the lien releases will be issued.
If the branch administrator is out of the office, such as on vacation, her role is covered by other branch administrators, or a manager a tour corporate office who is dedicated to serving you.
If you have rented from a local Synergy branch for a while, the branch administrator will know who you are and the history of your rental account. She’ll talk to you with a professional familiarity. And she’ll give you the information you need immediately about your lien release.
In Florida and other states, Synergy is required by law to notify the owner and other interested parties, such as lenders, of that jobsite within 45 days of the first delivery of equipment, such as land clearing with Synergy dozers or installing glass with Synergy lifts. This document is called a notice to owner (NTO), and it informs all parties that Synergy Equipment has provided rental equipment and that the subcontractor listed owes money for the rental.
So, what is a lien release? There are two types, typically referred to as a progress release and a final release. Basically, it is a document that tells your general contractor, owner and lender that you:
· Have paid the parties that the construction draw was intended for, and
· Can now continue receiving future draws for future work or get your final draw when all equipment has been picked up, paid for and the job is complete (final release).
The release of lien effectively ends any financial obligation for the equipment used on that job site. After all, owners don’t like to pay for their subcontractors’ bills twice.
In rare circumstances when the rental is not paid, Synergy will notify the interested parties of the project within 90 days after the last piece of equipment was picked up with a Lien recorded with the county clerk in the county where the job site is located. In most cases, this means the owner is now ultimately responsible for payment to remove any lien encumbrances off the property.
If taken all the way because of subcontractor non-payment, Synergy will file a foreclosure lawsuit within one year from the date of this lien recording against the project owner. This does not bode well for the subcontractor who rented the equipment as it could affect their relationship with the owner and the prime contractor on the project and the ability to work on future projects.
Usually, it does not go this far. Synergy’s local branch sales reps, administrators and branch managers work with our customers to understand their circumstances and develop a payment solution. That is the advantage of working with a local branch. We listen to you.
Consider renting equipment from your local Synergy Equipment branch for your next project partly because of the relationship that can be developed with the branch administrator and sales representatives.
And remember, when you call, you will always speak to someone local.
