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Contractor Grass Cut Information
March 2015
Last revised: Friday, February 27, 2015
ServiceLink, A Black
Black Knight Financial
Financial Services
Services Company
Objectives
The purpose of this document is to provide:
• Basic grass cut requirements and reminders
• Requirements for updating a grass cut as “Work
Not Performed”
• Bid guidelines
• FNMA requirements
• Wells Fargo-specific grass cut requirements
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Getting Started
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Overview
•
Purpose of regular yard maintenance
– Gives a property a lived-in appearance, reducing intrusions from vagrants
– Reduces financial risks created by: code violations, fire hazards, vandalism,
Vacant Property Registration (VPR) ordinance violations and media attention
– A grass cut typically is performed when the grass exceeds a height of two
(2) inches.
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Overview
• Grass Cut Season, for non year-round grass cut states, is
March 1 – November 30*.
• A grass cut needs to be performed when the grass reaches
a height of two (2) inches or greater.
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Basic Services
Services included in the standard rate for initial grass cuts and re-cuts are:
•
Mow/cut grass and weeds to the edge of the property line, a maximum
of two inches high.
•
Trim around foundations, bushes, trees, planting beds and fences.
•
Sweep all paved areas.
•
Dispose of all clippings and incidental debris (e.g., bottles, newspapers,
etc.).
•
Weed removal
Note: Provide ServiceLink Field Services (SLFS) with copies of local
codes/ordinances requiring actions contrary to work order instructions.
City, county and state ordinances supersede all insurers, investors,
clients and work order verbiage requests.
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Basic Services
An REO grass cut should also include the following basic services, plus:
•
Weed removal in absence of measurable lawn (i.e., desert landscaping)
•
Weeding of lawn and all beds
•
Edging of lawn and all beds
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Grass Cut and PCR Entry
The majority of re-cuts are issued to the field based on client and investor
schedules. Any grass cut work order not requiring a Property Condition Report
(PCR) work order typically only contain line items for the required yard work and
photos. A PCR is required if any other line items are present on the work order (i.e.
bid approved grass cuts, initial securing/services).
Properties eligible for regular re-cuts on the Grass Re-cut Schedule typically follow
this process:
1. Re-cuts are automatically assigned to the contractor on file for that property.
2. Contractor performs the grass cut work and uses the “Grass Cut Edit”
screen to update and invoice.
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Reminders - Reporting Results
• If there are damages present, provide standard information
to address (i.e. submit bid, eyeball estimate)
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Photo Requirements
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® TM SM
Trademark of Black Knight Financial Services or an affiliate.
© 2014 Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Photo Requirements
ServiceLink, A Black Knight Financial Services Company
® TM SM
Trademark of Black Knight Financial Services or an affiliate.
© 2014 Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
11
Photo Requirements – Work Not Performed (WNP)
ServiceLink, A Black Knight Financial Services Company
® TM SM
Trademark of Black Knight Financial Services or an affiliate.
© 2014 Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
12
Photo Requirements
• Provide photos showing progression of work from the same
angle in order to support all work performed
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Due Dates
Initial Grass Cut Work Orders
• The grass cut must be completed by the due date of the
work order
Grass Re-Cut Work Orders
• There is a window of 4 days to complete beginning one
day before the due date of the order.
Note: Wells Fargo (specific zip codes in Florida only)
weekly grass re-cuts are expected to be cut by the
due date.
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Grass Re-cut Due Date Examples
•
The due date is based on calendar days
Example: If the grass cut is due on 4/6/15, you may complete it no sooner than 4/5/15
and no later than 4/8/15.
Sun.
5
Mon.
6
Tue.
7
Wed.
8
Thurs.
9
Fri.
10
Sat.
11
Due Date
•
After the work is performed, you must update the work order in FieldScape
within 24 hours (end of next calendar day) of performing and no later than the
last day of the window.
Example: If you perform the work on 4/7/15, you must update the work order in the
system within 24 hours on 4/8/15 after performing the work.
Sun.
5
Mon.
Tue.
Wed.
6
7
8
Due Date
Work
performed
Update within
24 hours
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Thurs.
9
Fri.
10
Sat.
11
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Helpful Definitions
•
•
Initial Grass Cut – A property’s first yard maintenance of the season or calendar
year, as defined by the investor.
Re-cuts – Regular yard maintenance typically issued twice a month.
Note: During the “off” season, re-cuts may be issued per investor
guidelines.
•
Perimeter Initial/Re-cut (client-specific) – Yard maintenance performed immediately
around the structure of the property.
– A perimeter cut is 100 ft. x 150 ft. or 15,000 square feet from the front view of the
property to the street.
– The reason for perimeter cuts is:
• To avoid grass, vines and saplings from growing into/against a structure and
pests from burrowing in and damaging a structure.
• Clients do not want to cut the entire lot when the lot is over one (1) acre
because maintaining the perimeter may be more cost effective.
– We do not generally cut wooded areas (with an abundance of leaves, needles,
pine cones, lack of grass and multiple obstacles).
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Helpful Definitions
• One-time Re-cut – If the grass has excessive growth that
is justified and cannot be completed for the standard rate, a
one-time grass cut bid will need to be submitted.
• Bid Approval Cut – A grass cut that was bid for and
subsequently approved to perform the work.
• Bid After the Fact Cut – A grass cut that is performed and
a bid provided with the invoice after the work has already
been completed.
Important: Photos must justify all work completed and bids will be
reviewed with industry standard cost validation tools.
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Investor Schedules: Fannie Mae
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Investor Schedules: Freddie Mac
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Investor Schedules: FHA
ServiceLink, A Black Knight Financial Services Company
® TM SM
Trademark of Black Knight Financial Services or an affiliate.
© 2014 Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Investor Guidelines: VA
ServiceLink, A Black Knight Financial Services Company
® TM SM
Trademark of Black Knight Financial Services or an affiliate.
© 2014 Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Verifying Lot Size
• Provide the lot size when updating the work order.
• Use online resources to verify lot size
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Updating as “Work Not Performed”
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Reasons for Work Not Performed
Reasons to select for “Grass Not Cut”:
• Limited Growth (less than two inches)
• Cut by Unknown
• Cut by Condo Association
• Over-allowable Bid
• Desert landscape
• Weather Conditions
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Important! If the photos
do not support limited
growth, then the
contractor will not be paid
a trip charge and must
return to the property to
cut at the SLFS Standard
Supplier Rate.
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Limited Growth
(less than two inches)
• Update FieldScape™ as "Work Not
Performed" and select the reason in as
Grass Not Cut > Limited Growth.
• The work order stays on the grass cut
schedule until the client-specific maximum
number of limited growths is reached.
• Once the limited growth maximum is
reached, SLFS manually reviews the limited
growth circumstance or if it should be
placed on the grass cut schedule again.
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Condo Maintained by HOA
• If the grass is maintained by a condo association or an HOA,
update the work order as “Work Not Performed” and select the
reason as Grass Not Cut > Cut by Condo Association.
• When this is selected, this property will be removed from the
grass cut schedule.
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Desert Landscape
• If there is no grass at the property to maintain, update the work
order as “Work Not Performed” and select the reason as Grass
Not Cut > Desert Landscape.
• When this is selected, it falls off the grass cut schedule and the
status becomes “On Hold” for manual review.
• This is not an option for FNMA
properties as the investor requires
that desert landscaped properties
be maintained.
– Refer to the FNMA specific
requirements for additional information.
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Weather Conditions
•
•
•
If you are aware that snow accumulation would prevent the performance of
the grass cut, DO NOT report as Work Not Performed (WNP). Submit an
extension, using Weather Condition as the reason, for the appropriate
amount of time that would allow for the condition to change and allow the
grass to be cut. If at that revised due date, the condition is still present,
submit another extension (SLFS allows up to 3 extensions per work order).
Continue to remove snow if accumulation requirement is met and a snow
removal order has been assigned.
If the ground is excessively wet, preventing the completion of the grass cut,
but the grass height is within the allowable, submit an extension request
and complete the grass cut as soon as possible.
If the ground is excessively wet, preventing the completion of the grass cut,
and the grass height requires an over-allowable bid, update the work order
as “Work Not Performed” and select the reason as Grass Not Cut > OverAllowable Bid and submit the necessary bid(s).
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Bid Guidelines
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Common Grass Cut Bids
• Upon the first visit to a property, it may be discovered that
an initial grass cut cannot be completed within Standard
Supplier Rate. Some common reasons include:
–
Lot size over one (1) acre
–
Grass height over 12 inches
–
Debris in way of the grass cut
–
One-time re-cut
–
Wooded areas
Note: The next few slides go into more
detail about each of the common bids.
• Make sure to submit all relevant bids for each reason.
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Lot Size Over One (1) Acre
Lot is over one (1) acre
•
A bid for full lot cut
•
A bid for full lot re-cuts
•
A bid for perimeter initial grass cut
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Grass Height Over 12 Inches
Grass height exceeds 12 inches and cannot be cut
for the Standard Supplier Rate.
Note: If a bid is approved for
grass height over 12 inches
and the lot size is less than or
equal to one (1) acre, re-cuts
going forward must be
completed within the SLFS
Standard Supplier Rate.
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Debris In Way of Cut
• If exterior debris is in way of the grass cut provide the following bids:
– Bid to remove
– Bid to relocate
• Bid description should indicate what must be moved or removed and if
moving, where are debris/obstacles to be moved to.
• Indicate for both bids that the grass cut cannot be completed until the
debris is moved or removed.
Note: Disposal of all clippings and
incidental debris (e.g., bottles,
newspapers, etc.) is required as part of
the grass cut service and should not be
bid.
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One-Time Re-cut
• This type of bid systematically allows for one-time grass cut
bid situations in the middle of grass cut season without
affecting the billable/pay amounts for the remainder of
scheduled re-cuts for the season
• This type of bid is typically necessary when there is a lapse
in the re-cut schedule or extended severe weather.
• It is manually reviewed and approved:
– When a One Time Re-cut bid is approved, a bid approval work order is
issued and billed/paid based on the rate approved for that one-time situation.
– Subsequent re-cuts are billed as they normally would according to the
regularly scheduled re-cut rates.
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Wooded Areas
Specialized equipment or debris removal may be required to facilitate yard
maintenance in these areas due to one or more of the following:
• Heavy foliage
Note: Renting specialized equipment necessary
• Dense forestation
to perform a grass cut is no longer permitted
• Large rocks and boulders
BATF.
• Tree trunks and branches
• Excessive debris
• Rough terrain
Contractors must provide the following:
• Bids to rent specialized equipment should be for
extreme situations
• Bids for cutting the wooded areas
• Photos and cost estimate to justify the above
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FNMA Requirements
Effective February 1, 2013
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FNMA
Lawn Maintenance Requirements
Important: Initial lawn maintenance (including trim
trees/shrubs/vines) and desert landscaping must be
performed within 10 calendar days of vacancy or the grass cut
season start date, whichever comes later.
FNMA initial grass cut orders must be handled with
priority to ensure compliance.
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FNMA
Lawn Maintenance Requirements
• Desert landscaping should be performed when properties
are rockscaped or low maintenance landscaping.
– This includes pulling and spraying of weeds, removing tumbleweeds
and trimming grass when necessary.
Note: Do not return as ‘Work Not
Performed – Desert Landscaping’.
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FNMA
Lawn Maintenance Requirements
Maintenance includes trimming of the shrubs/trees/vines and
removal of clippings, dead foliage, vines on the main dwelling
and detached livable structures, and saplings near the
foundation.
Trees/shrubs/vines must be trimmed in any of the following instances:
•
When affecting the condition or access to the main dwelling or detached livable structures,
•
When it is within street view, and/or
•
When it affects the condition of the fencing or the lanai.
Bid the following:
•
Maintain trees, shrubs and vines with re-cut bids.
•
Tree removal
•
Any trees, shrubs and vines at a property exceeding the Standard Supplier Rate
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Wells Fargo Specific Requirements
Effective March 1, 2014
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Wells Fargo Requirements
• Initial Grass Cuts must be performed on all vacant properties.
– If unable to perform the initial grass cut within the Standard Supplier Rate,
complete BATF.
– This includes properties with desert landscape with excessive weeds that
are likely to cause a code violation.
• Secure any unsecure property using existing hardware.
– If not possible to secure with existing materials, submit bids to secure.
• If there is a posted violation on a property SLFS must be notified via a
call from site for immediate remediation.
Note: Follow all local codes for securing procedure and if no local code
exists, follow investor securing guidelines.
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Wells Fargo
Lot Sizes Over One (1) Acre
• Lot sizes up to one (1) acre must be completed for the published
rate. Do not complete full lot cuts on lot sizes over one (1) acre BATF.
• If a lot size is over one (1) acre, perform a perimeter cut and:
– Bid the remaining acreage and the re-cuts (specify acreage)
– Submit supporting photos of area cut and remaining area
Wells Fargo Perimeter Cut Requirements
• A perimeter cut is defined as an acre around the house beginning at the
main dwelling and radius outward.
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