Sec. 53.057. DERIVATIVE CLAIMANT: NOTICE FOR CONTRACTUAL RETAINAGE CLAIM. (a) A claimant may give notice under this section instead of or in addition to notice under Section 53.056 or 53.252 if the claimant is to labor, furnish labor or materials, or specially fabricate materials, or has labored, furnished labor or materials, or specially fabricated materials, under an agreement with an original contractor or a subcontractor providing for retainage.

(b) The claimant must give the owner or reputed owner notice of contractual retainage not later than the earlier of:

(1) the 30th day after the date the claimant's agreement providing for retainage is completed, terminated, or abandoned; or

(2) the 30th day after the date the original contract is terminated or abandoned.

(b-1) If an agreement for contractual retainage is with a subcontractor, the claimant must also give the notice of contractual retainage to the original contractor within the period prescribed by Subsection (b).

(c) The notice must generally state the existence of a requirement for retainage and contain:

(1) the name and address of the claimant; and

(2) if the agreement is with a subcontractor, the name and address of the subcontractor.

(d) The notice must be sent to the last known business or residence address of the owner or reputed owner or the original contractor, as applicable.

(e) If a claimant gives notice under this section and Section 53.055 or, if the claim relates to a residential construction project, under this section and Section 53.252, the claimant is not required to give any other notice as to the retainage.

(f) A claimant has a lien on, and the owner is personally liable to the claimant for, the retained funds under Subchapter E if the claimant:

(1) gives notice in accordance with this section and:

(A) complies with Subchapter E; or

(B) files an affidavit claiming a lien not later than the earliest of:

(i) the date required for filing an affidavit under Section 53.052;

(ii) the 40th day after the date stated in an affidavit of completion as the date of completion of the work under the original contract, if the owner sent the claimant notice of an affidavit of completion in the time and manner required;

(iii) the 40th day after the date of termination or abandonment of the original contract, if the owner sent the claimant a notice of such termination or abandonment in the time and manner required; or

(iv) the 30th day after the date the owner sent to the claimant to the claimant's address provided in the notice for contractual retainage, as required under Subsection (c), a written notice of demand for the claimant to file the affidavit claiming a lien; and

(2) gives the notice of the filed affidavit as required by Section 53.055.

(g) The written demand under Subsection (f)(1)(B)(iv):

(1) must contain the owner's name and address and a description, legally sufficient for identification, of the real property on which the improvement is located;

(2) must state that the claimant must file the lien affidavit not later than the 30th day after the date the demand is sent; and

(3) is effective only for the amount of contractual retainage earned by the claimant as of the day the demand was sent.

Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 3541, ch. 576, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1984. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1138, Sec. 9, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 526, Sec. 9, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 889, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 499 (H.B. 1390), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.