Ohio Code 1311.261 – Notice of furnishing
(A)(1) Every subcontractor and material supplier who wishes to exercise the subcontractor’s or material supplier’s rights under sections 1311.25 to 1311.32 of the Revised Code regarding claims for labor or work performed or materials furnished in furtherance of a public improvement shall serve a notice of furnishing, in accordance with division (B) of this section, on the principal contractor whose contract with the public authority is the contract under which the subcontractor or material supplier is performing labor or work or furnishing materials within twenty-one days after the date that the subcontractor or material supplier first performed labor or work or furnished materials on the site of the public improvement, except that no subcontractor or material supplier who is in direct privity of contract with the principal contractor need provide the notice.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 1311.261
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures; this provision does not affect any law relating to signatures. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
(2) A subcontractor or material supplier may serve the principal contractor with a notice of furnishing pursuant to this section more than twenty-one days after the subcontractor or material supplier first performed labor or work or furnished materials on the site of the public improvement. If a subcontractor or material supplier serves the notice, the subcontractor or material supplier shall have the rights of sections 1311.25 to 1311.32 of the Revised Code with regard to only amounts owed for labor and work performed and materials furnished during and after the twenty-one days immediately preceding service of the notice of furnishing.
(B) The notice of furnishing shall be in substantially the following form:
“Notice of Furnishing
(For use in connection with public improvements)
To: ____________________________________________
(Name of principal contractor)
________________________________________________
Address of principal contractor)
The undersigned notifies you that the undersigned has furnished or performed or will furnish or perform (describe labor, work, or materials) for the improvement of real property identified as (property description or address) under order given by (name of subcontractor or material supplier). The labor, work, or materials were first furnished or performed or will be furnished or performed on (date).
_______________________________________________________
(Signature of subcontractor or material supplier)
_______________________________________________________
(Address of subcontractor or material supplier)
_______________________________________________________
(Date).”
(C) Each principal contractor and each subcontractor, on the date of entering into any agreement with a subcontractor or material supplier, shall provide, in writing, to the subcontractor or material supplier, the name and address of the public authority.
(D) Each principal contractor and each subcontractor, on the date of entering into any agreement with a subcontractor or material supplier, shall provide, in writing, to the subcontractor or material supplier, the name and address of the principal contractor.
(E) If the principal contractor or subcontractor fails to provide the name and address of the public authority or the principal contractor to those in direct privity of contract and that failure results in the loss of rights under this section, the affected person may bring an action in any court of common pleas which would otherwise have jurisdiction over the action against the person who failed to furnish the information for any damages resulting from the loss of rights under this section.
(F) No laborer must serve a notice in accordance with this section to preserve lien rights under sections 1311.25 to 1311.32 of the Revised Code.