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I paid my contractor in full — why does a supplier say I still owe them?

Use the free tool — Owner Lien Shield FL

What's going on

You hired a contractor, paid the full contract price, and got a receipt. Now a supplier or subcontractor you never met says you still owe money — maybe they sent a "Notice to Owner," maybe they recorded a lien. This can happen under Florida's Construction Lien Law (Fla. Stat. ch. 713 Part I). It does not automatically mean you did anything wrong, but it does mean you may still be exposed. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Why paying your contractor isn't always enough

Your contractor's paid-in-full receipt is evidence against the contractor. But it is not automatically a defense against an unpaid supplier or subcontractor under Fla. Stat. 713.06. Florida law limits an owner's liability to the contract price only if the owner made "proper payments" — payments made against lien releases or waivers from every lienor who served a Notice to Owner, with final payment made only after receiving the contractor's sworn final payment affidavit (Fla. Stat. 713.06(3)(d)), at least 5 days before final payment. If those releases and that affidavit were never collected, the owner can still be liable to unpaid lienors — even after paying the contractor in full.

What to do right now

• Demand, in writing, the contractor's sworn final payment affidavit and proof the supplier was actually paid.
• Send the supplier a written request for a sworn statement of account under Fla. Stat. 713.16. A lienor who does not answer within 30 days can lose the lien.
• Consult a Florida construction attorney before you pay anyone else or ignore anything.

If the contractor kept money meant for the supplier

If the contractor collected money for the supplier and did not pay it, Florida's misapplication-of-construction-funds law (Fla. Stat. 713.345) may apply. You can notify the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the State Attorney. You may also have a claim against the contractor, and — for licensed contractors — against the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund under Fla. Stat. 489.1401. These are possibilities to raise with an attorney, not guaranteed outcomes.

• DBPR — Construction Recovery Fund — includes a license check.

If a lien has already been recorded

Get the recorded document. A claim of lien must be recorded within 90 days of the lienor's last furnishing of labor or material, and it stays valid for 1 year unless you record a Notice of Contest of Lien, which cuts the lienor's time to sue down to 60 days (Fla. Stat. 713.22). Do not pay the lienor directly without an attorney's advice — the contractor may still owe the lienor money, and how you pay matters.

What to do next

Paste the notice or the recorded lien, or describe your job and what you've paid, into Owner Lien Shield FL's free first look. It reads your own numbers and your own document and tells you what it means, what Florida law requires, and the steps to take this week — in English or Spanish. Nothing you paste is stored, and no account is required. This tool is not a lawyer and can be wrong — confirm every deadline and form with a Florida construction attorney or legal aid before you record or pay anything.

Owner Lien Shield FL explains Florida's Construction Lien Law from the homeowner's side in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. Deadlines and forms under Fla. Stat. ch. 713 are strict — confirm with a Florida construction attorney or legal aid. Nothing you paste is stored.