Would you place the lien against the subject property you search or the company's property (the one that hired you).  Seems a bit unfair to the property owner to have to pay for something they probably didn't even know about nor did they technically authorize you to work on their behalf or worse case already paid the title company for the search when they closed on their loan.  Just a concern for the consumer not a slight against trying to get paid in the long run because I whole heartedly agree you should be paid for services rendered - just maybe not by "sticking it" to the little guy again.