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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hold on here!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>May I remind you that the mother is =
<EM>not</EM>
the owner of the piano by default. <EM>You</EM> have a mechanics lien =
probably
in place by state statute, but of course you need to research that a =
bit. You
may have to post a notification to the public and then you can proceed =
to
dispose of the piano as you see fit. You have no contractual obligation =
to
discuss the disposition of the piano at all at this point. You must =
treat her as
you would any third party nosing around. Once you have established clear =
title
to the piano you can proceed with whatever remedy you see fit: Sell as =
is, junk
it, fix it up and sell for top dollar. The mother can negotiate with you =
as any
other person. All this boils down to the fact that <STRONG>You are the =
owner
now</STRONG>. It is your piano. Period. If the former husband were to =
show up
shortly while you are finalizing the lien you hold, and you had given =
back the
piano to the mother in a moment of stupidity, you could get sued for =
giving away
property not belonging to you. In all frankness, I do believe your =
lien
prevails at this time anyhow, but check out the statute to be =
sure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Joseph Alkana RPT</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=gnewell@ameritech.net =
href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net">Greg
Newell</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 15, =
2006 11:08
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Piano Rebuild =
Client
AWOL</DIV>
=
<DIV><BR></DIV>Terry,<BR><X-TAB>  =
; </X-TAB>Get
signed disclaimers!<BR><BR>Greg Newell<BR><BR><BR>At 01:03 PM =
2/15/2006, you
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face=arial =
size=2>I've just
run into a first for me. Couple years ago I contracted with a local =
couple
(the husband to be specific) to remanufacture their old Baldwin M =
grand
(5'3") - new soundboard, action, finish, etc. The piano was =
originally
purchased new by the woman's grandmother and was handed down to her =
(read:
sentimental value - no other piano will do). They put the first 1/3 =
of the
contract fee up front. I completed building the new soundboard, =
bridges,
ordered parts, etc., etc. The next step was to move on to =
refinishing - that
is when the next installment of funds was =
due.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=arial size=2>I tried to contact them at that point (several =
months
after I started) and was unable to - all phone numbers disconnected, =
etc - I
tried internet searches with no luck. I now learn that the couple =
got
divorced, the woman moved to the Carolinas and the man seems to have =
disappeared from the face of the earth.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=arial
size=2>I stopped working on the piano a long time ago because it =
seemed I
did not have a client and roughly 1/3 of the work had been
completed.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial size=2>This =
morning I get a
call from the woman's mother inquiring about the piano. I explained =
the
status and she asked if I could just "put it back together" and that =
she had
no funds that she wished to invest in the piano - but realizes that =
it may
cost something to make it whole again in some minimal fashion.
<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial size=2>So now I'm trying =
to figure out
some sort of solution to this situation. I seems very clear there =
will not
be a "good" solution to this situation (unless, of course, the =
husband is
found and is willing to complete the contract - which mom will try =
to do -
but I'm not going to hold my breath). I only wish to get paid for =
the work I
do to the piano. I do not wish to hold anyone to complete the full =
scope of
contracted rebuilding tasks - that would be best for the piano, but =
I don't
think anyone will want to pay for it. I'm going to figure up a fee =
for
making the piano whole for the least cost. That will be such an =
awkward
solution - new fabulous belly - peeling finish - dull plate - so-so =
action
with chipped/cracked ivory keys. I feel so uneasy about such an end. =
And I
know the lady won't be happy with the piano
either.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial size=2>Does anyone =
have any
constructive thoughts for a least-bad outcome to a situation like =
this?
Maybe there is some avenue/direction that I have not thought of.
Thanks.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial size=2>Terry
=
Farrell<BR></FONT> <BR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></=
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