§ 165:28 — Liens on Real Property

The amount of money spent by a town or city to support an assisted person under this chapter shall, except for just cause, be made a lien on any real estate owned by the assisted person. The liens are effective until enforced as provided in this chapter, or until released by the selectmen or city council; provided that there shall be no enforcement of the lien so long as the real estate is occupied as the sole residence of the assisted person, his surviving spouse, or his surviving children who are under age 18 or blind or permanently and totally disabled. Interest at the rate of 6 percent per year shall be charged on the amount of money constituting such lien commencing one year after the date of the filing of the lien unless a majority of the selectmen in the town or the councilmen in the city vote to waive such interest. The selectmen or council may file a notice of the lien or an acknowledgment of satisfaction of the lien with the register of deeds of the county in which the assisted person owns real property. A notice of lien which contains the owner's name and a description of the real property sufficient to identify it is a valid lien on the property. The register of deeds shall keep a suitable record of such notices without charging any fee therefor, and he shall enter an acknowledgment of satisfaction of the lien upon written request of the selectmen or the council without fee.

Legislative History

1965, 42:1. 1975, 303:1. 1985, 380:17. 1988, 180:2, eff. June 25, 1988.