Power of Attorney- disgruntled and estranged neice

[kjk]

Hello everyone! Thank you in advance for your guidance. I am no longer in the appraisal biz- I had a good 5 years and found myself burnt out. I completed an appraisal a little over a year ago. Long story short, the neighbor had been helping his neighbor (disabled vet) who had been living in squalor, transition to a VA nursing home. He had a VA reverse mortgage, and needed an appraisal for the VA before selling the house. The neighbor reached out to me, gave me access to the house, and assisted in the owner providing payment to me for the report. The report was difficult due to the condition but I stand by my opinion of value.

So to the good part... I get a call from an estranged niece of his who (after 20 years of absence) suddenly moves to care for him. She is irate the house was sold. Mind you, the owner wanted to sell the house. She now has Power of Attorney and has requested my report, entire work file "all data backing up the appraisal", and all of my communication with the neighbor. The homeowner is the client and intended user on the report. Should I wait for a letter from an attorney or send her a report and work file because she has the clients POA?

 

[glenn walker]

Someone setting you up ? They want your work file ? Hell no they get nothing, and a letter from his/her attorney carries no weight just say no .

 

[TerryRohrer]

Hello everyone! Thank you in advance for your guidance. I am no longer in the appraisal biz- I had a good 5 years and found myself burnt out. I completed an appraisal a little over a year ago. Long story short, the neighbor had been helping his neighbor (disabled vet) who had been living in squalor, transition to a VA nursing home. He had a VA reverse mortgage, and needed an appraisal for the VA before selling the house. The neighbor reached out to me, gave me access to the house, and assisted in the owner providing payment to me for the report. The report was difficult due to the condition but I stand by my opinion of value.

So to the good part... I get a call from an estranged niece of his who (after 20 years of absence) suddenly moves to care for him. She is irate the house was sold. Mind you, the owner wanted to sell the house. She now has Power of Attorney and has requested my report, entire work file "all data backing up the appraisal", and all of my communication with the neighbor. The homeowner is the client and intended user on the report. Should I wait for a letter from an attorney or send her a report and work file because she has the clients POA?

Don't do a thing unless you are served in a lawsuit. Don't even respond.

 

[J Grant]

Ask your E and O insurance provider, they will offer guidance.

Imo you owe her nothing unless she gets a subpoena in the future for it from a judge - she is just fishing and wants it for free , she was not your client so her request is NA

 

[shrubberyvaluation]

Hello everyone! Thank you in advance for your guidance. I am no longer in the appraisal biz- I had a good 5 years and found myself burnt out. I completed an appraisal a little over a year ago. Long story short, the neighbor had been helping his neighbor (disabled vet) who had been living in squalor, transition to a VA nursing home. He had a VA reverse mortgage, and needed an appraisal for the VA before selling the house. The neighbor reached out to me, gave me access to the house, and assisted in the owner providing payment to me for the report. The report was difficult due to the condition but I stand by my opinion of value.

So to the good part... I get a call from an estranged niece of his who (after 20 years of absence) suddenly moves to care for him. She is irate the house was sold. Mind you, the owner wanted to sell the house. She now has Power of Attorney and has requested my report, entire work file "all data backing up the appraisal", and all of my communication with the neighbor. The homeowner is the client and intended user on the report. Should I wait for a letter from an attorney or send her a report and work file because she has the clients POA?

99.9999% they want you to provide some rope so they can hang you.

 

[glenn walker]

Only a Attorney or someone in the know would request your work file

99.9999% they want you to provide some rope so they can hang you.

 

[Dublin ohio]

99.9999% they want you to provide some rope so they can hang you.

Sounds like a disgruntled money grubbing opportunist. Wouldn't even give them the benefit of a response

 

[Mark K]

She now has Power of Attorney and has requested my report, entire work file "all data backing up the appraisal", and all of my communication with the neighbor. The homeowner is the client and intended user on the report.

Having POA doesn't make her your client. Hell, I wouldn't provide everything she's asking for even if she was my client! Just say no.

You didn't buy the house, did you? LOL!

 

[kjk]

Thank you everyone. I spoke with the neighbor who is going to meet with her in person and hash things out.

My only consideration is that now that she is an authorized agent of the named client, would I need to issue her a copy. I only care about what duty I actually have to remit reports, long after the fact.

A consideration I should have made was that I delivered the report to the neighbor, as the homeowner was in the hospital.

How you all have put in so many years dealing with this b.s amazes me!!

 

[Mark K]

Another example of why appraisers shouldn't work for friends, neighbors, and especially relatives. Nothing good ever comes from it.