Security bars on windows?? (FHA)

[incognito]

This is an FHA question, but I need a fast answer, so I thought I would post here. Prior to the recent FHA changes (12/29/05), FHA required that all bedrooms have egress through at least one window. If that window had security bars, they had to be capable of being opened from the inside, to provide egress.

Has that changed, does anyone know??

 

[Mr Rex]

Bill, it hasn't changed. "Inadequate access/egress from bedrooms to exterior of homes" is specifically addressed in Mortgagee Letter 2005-48 as an issue that does require immediate repair.

 

[Wally Jones]

That's still a requirement, Bill.

 

[incognito]

Thanks for the help! I feel really bad about calling it, because it is a widowed little old lady in an immaculate house, applying for a FHA reverse mortgage. This could be a deal breaker for her. Oh well, maybe I'll be a nice guy and help her get them off...

Thanks again.

 

[Tawfik Ahdab]

Interesting point about FHA reverse mortgages and little old ladies.

I recently rejected a property due to inadequate crawlspace access (a deck had foolishly been built over the crawlspace).

They cancelled the appraisal because the lady could not be expected to remove or cut through a portion of the deck to make her eligible to live off the equity in her home.

 

[Vegan702]

Thanks for the help! I feel really bad about calling it, because it is a widowed little old lady in an immaculate house, applying for a FHA reverse mortgage. This could be a deal breaker for her. Oh well, maybe I'll be a nice guy and help her get them off...

Thanks again.

Are they all non-egress? Maybe help her pop one off of each bedroom. No different then the homeowners who do it before I show up and immediately put them back on when I leave.

 

[Jim Onderisin]

If she does what FHA requires, she might save her life or that of another person sleeping in the room when fire strikes.

 

[Gregory Beck]

Not only FHA requirement but how about the local fire codes?

 

[Otis Key]

Not only FHA requirement but how about the local fire codes?

Ditto that. I don't do FHA but even on conventional loans I make it subject to as it's a local fire code. Besides, all I need is someone to sue me after the report is done because someone died in a house fire with no egress.

 

[Mike Boyd]

Also, it is my underwstanding that they must be "Quick Release" so that all that is necessary is to push on them. By the way, even those need to be maintained. I have seen them so rusted that they did not work.