Confidentiality Rules

[Lilmscity]

Love when this happens! Received an email from a disgruntled borrower downgrading my competencies and establishing his own appraisal principals and value. Photo attached just for laughs. Curious about how my peers handle this situation to stay in compliance with client confidentiality.

 

[hastalavista]

Tell the borrower:
A. There is a process to address questions
B. That process is any questions the borrower may have should be addressed to her/his lender
C. That the appraiser, due to regulatory requirements and contractual obligations, cannot discuss appraisal results directly with the borrower or any other party other than the lender
D. Let the borrower know that your policy is to make sure the borrower knows there is a process they can follow to ask questions, but once you provide that information to the borrower, there is no more direct assistance you can provide

Good luck!

 

[gregb]

Lender clients have instructions of no contact with the borrower after the appraisal inspection is completed. I would only pass on the message from the borrower to the client, and refrain from any communication with the borrower.

 

[George Hatch]

There's nothing you can tell the borrower that will affect their opinion of you. You especially don't want to lose sight of the fact that this is just business for you, it's not personal. So you want to convey an attitude of professionalism, and distant civility that is completely devoid of any indications of your personal feelings. Or anything that could be misconstrued as your personal feelings. The reason you are not responding directly to the various issues in their complaint isn't because you don't want to but because you are not permitted to do so.

Send an email covering each of the items Dennis noted above and CC your client so the borrower can see you're referring the dispute to them and are not attempting to blow them off. The lender can decide for themselves whether they need anything else from you.

 

[hastalavista]

Send an email covering each of the items Dennis noted above and CC your client so the borrower can see you're referring the dispute to them and are not attempting to blow them off. The lender can decide for themselves whether they need anything else from you.

(my bold)

Excellent advice to cc the client!! (I should have added that! ).

 

[ucbruin]

I don't respond to a borrower or buyer/seller (rarely to an agent once I've completed the inspection)...

If I'm contacted by any of the above parties I forward the message to the lender and ask that the LO communicate with his client....

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Who is your client? End of discussion.

 

[norapp]

As I've often said, No one ever thanks the appraiser. If you do a job to their liking then it's well of that's what we expect. If not, you are incompetent and know nothing about what you are doing. I have many realtor friends who get gift from happy clients. Again. No on ever thanks the appraiser.

 

[Vermonter]

With my current clients, they prefer no contact. So I don't even respond, however I will always forward the email to the client and keep it in the workfile.

If it's an improvement issue (GLA, site, finish, etc), most times the client will ask me to respond, but if the borrower is questioning anything relating to value, they won't.

Whatever the case, document all communication. Don't do it over the phone, do it in an email so there's a paper trail.

 

[norapp]

With my current clients, they prefer no contact. So I don't even respond, however I will always forward the email to the client and keep it in the workfile.

If it's an improvement issue (GLA, site, finish, etc), most times the client will ask me to respond, but if the borrower is questioning anything relating to value, they won't.

Whatever the case, document all communication. Don't do it over the phone, do it in an email so there's a paper trail.

I agree. Always forward to client.