Second lien filed against Kamloops hospital
Liens have now been placed on Royal Inland Hospital by two companies — each alleging they were not paid for renovation work at the hospital, and each apparently headed for a courtroom.
Court documents filed by lawyers representing RPI Electrical Services allege the business was not paid for more than $40,000 work it did on the construction of RIH's new CT scanner suite.
Yesterday, KTW reported on another local business, Bridgeport Floors, putting a lien on RIH under similar, but more expensive, circumstances.
Bridgeport claims it was not paid for nearly $100,000 worth of work at the hospital.
Both court actions list the Interior Health Authority and Vanbots Construction as defendants.
The lawsuit filed by RPI states Vanbots hired the electrical firm for work on the CT lab in October of 2010.
The document claims RPI completed the work as agreed upon, but was not paid before IHA terminated its construction contract with Vanbots.
According to the document, RPI placed a lien on the hospital on Aug. 5, 2011, claiming a sum of $41,691.62.
RPI states its lien on the hospital was cancelled in October of 2011 when Vanbots secured a bond from an insurance company covering the debt.
That bond — covering the entire alleged debt with RPI — is being held as security in B.C. Supreme Court.
The court document states RPI is seeking a judge to reinstate the lien.
Bridgeport's lien against RIH is apparently still in place.
Once liens are filed in court, one of two things can happen — the defendants pay the owing amount or the matter goes before a judge.
If a judge rules in favour of the plaintiffs the IHA and Vanbots would be on the hook for the outstanding amounts — in this case nearly $140,000.
If payment was not made at that time, the judge could order IHA to sell RIH in order to cover the debts.
If rulings are made in favour of the IHA and Vanbots, the liens would be removed.
Both Vanbots and the IHA have 21 days to file a response, beginning when they're served with the documents.
None of the allegations in the notices of civil claim have been proven in court.
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