|
Memo 1110 Appliance Removal
To:
All Safeguard Contractors
From: Robert Klein
Memo 1110 Appliance Removal
A recent review of bids
to remove appliances has raised some concerns that we would like to address.
On several occasions, contractors submitted bids to remove appliances
where removal clearly was not necessary. It is imperative that we do not
remove appliances from the interior of the property unless the appliance
poses a health or safety issue or is obviously and significantly deteriorated
and/or non-functional. Although the investor may approve such a bid, that
approval does not necessarily indicate that the appliance removal will be
claimable when the property conveys: at the time the claim is filed, the
investor will evaluate the documentation and photos provided by the contractor
to determine whether the appliance removal was warranted.
Moreover, failure to adequately document and follow appliance removal
guidelines can result in a complaint by a mortgagor or new owner.
Allegations may include conversion, illegal trespass, intentional
misrepresentation, loss of property value etc. Appliances routinely stay
with the property when sold to a new mortgagor, and allegations of this kind
can ultimately prove very costly to contractors.
When you submit a bid to clean or dispose of an appliance, your bid must be
accompanied by an explanation of the recommended work and photo documentation
supporting the need for the work. The M&MS do not want to approve
removal of appliances unless it is absolutely necessary. Our review
indicates that many of the photos provided with bids to remove do not support
the need to remove the item. A contractor should not submit bids to
remove an appliance if dishes or pans are the only items that need to be
removed: you should bid to remove only the food-encrusted dishes and pot or
pans, not the appliance itself.
If an appliance is moldy or dirty, contractors should bid to clean the
appliance, not to remove it. Cleaning bids should also indicate whether
chemicals or a damp cloth will be needed to clean the appliance.
Only if an appliance poses a serious safety issue--if it
is fire-damaged, severely rusted, or has a gas line issue--is
it necessary and appropriate to bid removal.
When photographing an appliance that is being bid for removal, the contractor
must show the exterior and complete interior of the item. It is
not sufficient to show only the outside. Photos must clearly show what
condition warrants the removal. If they do not, the contractor will be
asked for additional photo documentation. Insufficient documentation for
appliance removal causes delays in updating the client, as well as creating
additional work for Safeguard�s staff.
Below are several examples of appliances found on property interiors with
comments about what work the photos suggest should be bid.
If you have any questions about bidding appliance cleaning or removal, please
contact your Regional Coordinator or the P&P Customer Service Department.
Thank you for your continued cooperation.
Appliances
that should not be bid for removal:
Appliance we should bid to remove:
Photo examples of items that should be bid for cleaning:
|
