NFR - Gated Communities Memo
Please review the memo from NFR in regards to Gated communities. Since most of our clients all work for the same lenders, you might as well apply these rules to all clients. Bottom Line, our job is to verify Occupancy and Condition of the properties that we inspect.
Gated Communities
Gated communities / secured buildings are a growing concern to our customers and we need to take all the necessary steps to try to determine the occupancy status of these properties. There have been several cases of properties being reported UTV(Unable to Verify) that we subsequently find have been vacant for several months and there is now damage to the unit and/or neighboring units due to frozen pipes, pipes leaking causing water damage, being unsecure, vandalism, etc.. Verifying the occupancy status of these properties is EXTREMELY important and critical to preventing unnecessary damage to our properties.
Guard: When encountering a property located in a secured community/ building and there is a guard onsite please try to gain access into the community or request the guard provide you with the occupancy status of the unit. Try to get HOA phone numbers from the guard if there is not one posted.
HOA: If there is a homeowners association (HOA) or management company name and number posted please call the number to gain access into the community to verify occupancy of the property. If they will not allow access request they verify the occupancy status of the unit. Provide the name and number of the person with whom you spoke.
Office: If there is an office onsite please visit the office to find out how you can gain access into the community to determine the occupancy status. If you are provided with an access code to get into the community please let us know what it is so we can put it on future inspections and/or preservation orders.
Please provide us with as much detail as possible of the steps you have taken to verify the occupancy status. IE: Contact made with guard who denied access, management denied access, no guard or management on site, need access code to gain entry, mortgagor’s name listed on directory, etc. This information will help us justify the report of UTV (unable to verify) gated or secured community and the lack of inspections on the mortgage company’s properties.
Please share this with all employees or subcontractors. Thank you for your valued assistance and cooperation.
NFR Contractor Service Department and Inspection Department
