Relocation Policy 631.3 625.5 Constructing a house. If you are constructing a house. the Postal Service will reimburse expenses comparable to the expenses that would be reimbursable if you were buying a house. 626 Losses from market condition The Postal Service will not reimburse you for losses resulting from market conditions and any similar losses. 627 Expenses of settling unexpired leases 627.1 Reimbursement of unexpired leases. Expenses you incur for settling an unexpired lease (including month-to-month rental) on residence quarters you occupied at your old official station may include broker's fees for obtaining a sublease or the cost of advertising an unexpired lease. These expenses are reimbursable if all these conditions are met: a. The applicable laws or the terms of the lease provide for payment of settlement expenses: b. The costs cannot be avoided by subleasing or other arrangements; c. You did not contribute to the cost by failing to give prompt and appropriate notice that you were terminating the lease after finding out that you were being transferred to a new official station; and d. The broker's fees or advertising charges do not exceed those customarily charged for comparable services in that locality. You must itemize these expenses and enter the total amount on a travel voucher. 627.2 Claim for unexpired lease expenses. You must submit this voucher separately from the claim you make for expenses related to buying a home. You must support each item with a copy of the lease agreement and proof of payment. 630 Submitting a Claim for Reimbursement of Real Estate Expenses 631 How to apply for reimbursement and how to document expenses 631.1 Claim for reimbursement of real estate expenses. Prepare Form 4877 (see Exhibit 631.1). Enter the itemized amounts you are claiming in the appropriate spaces on the form. For each expense, attach documents showing that you paid the expense. Identify items claimed in item 4 on the reverse side of Form 4877. 631.2 Submitting Form 4877. You may prepare a separate Form 4877 for sale and purchase expenses. 631.3 Documentation required to support real estate expenses. You must submit one complete set of legible, signed documents or copies of them to support the claim. Copies of the following documents must be included, if appropriate: (a) the sales agreement; (b) the purchase agreement: (c) property settlement documents; (d) loan closing statements; (e) invoices or receipts for bills paid; and (f) a copy of the disclosure statement required by Regulation Z and the Truth in Lending Act for all charges by the lending institution for the purchase of your new home. Handbook F-12, June 1991 632 Relocation Policy 632 How your claim will be reviewed and approved 632.1 Where to submit Form 4877 for review and approval. Submit Form 4877 with supporting documents to request reimbursement for sales or purchase expenses, for review, adjudication, and signature approval as follows: a. Transfers to and from Headquarters: Submit to General Manager. Assets and Payables Systems Division, Department of the Controller. Headquarters. (This authority may be delegated only to the Acting General Manager. Assets and Payables Systems Division, Department of the Controller. Headquarters); b. Transfers to and from Field Divisions: Submit to appropriate Field Division C. Transfers to and from regional offices: Submit to the General Manager. d. Headquarters-related field office transfers: Submit to the nearest associated city e. Inspection Service transfers: Submit to Regional Chief Inspector or Inspectors in Charge, as appropriate. 632.2 Review of real estate expenses. This review will determine whether the expenses claimed are reasonable and customarily paid by the seller/buyer in the locality where the property is located. If any expenses appear to be excessive, the expenses will be reduced or disallowed. The appropriate official will indicate whether the expenses are approved or disapproved on Form 4877. 633 How to submit a claim for payment Forward approved Form 4877 and documentation for administrative approval and payment of your claim. 634 Administrative approval 634.1 Approving official. The official who approves the travel for change of station will give final administrative approval of Form 4877. This official may accept as conclusive the required prior approval (see section 632.1) concerning reasonable and customary expenses. 634.2 Forwarding for payment. After the appropriate official has given administrative approval, Form 4877 and supporting documents will be forwarded for payment in the usual manner. 640 RMF Service for Home Sales 641 Requirements This program may be offered to EAS personnel, grade level 21 or above (Inspection Service personnel grade level 17 or above), through a deviation process only. Saved grade or save rate employees are not eligible. The following criteria must be met before your request: a. The title to the residence must comply with the conditions stated in section 612.b. b. The distance between the former residence and the new official duty station must be at least 70 miles. 44 Handbook F-12, June 1991 Relocation Policy 642 C. The residence must be marketed at a fair market value set by a knowledgeable real estate broker, and must be in line with local market conditions and recent comparable sales. d. The residence to be sold must be appraised at no less than $50,000 and must be situated on no more than one acre of land. e. The residence has to be aggressively marketed a minimum of 120 days (a minimum of 60 days for Inspection Service personnel). Note: Mobile homes, houseboats, and other similar residences are not eligible for consideration. 642 Guidelines to follow when filing Home Sale Deviation The employee must include the following with their deviation request: a. Copy of the purchase closing statement. b. The real estate broker(s) report on marketing efforts, which includes length of market time. list prices, concessions offeror, and copies of the advertisement. c. Copy of the recent property appraisal, if available. (A property appraisal conducted by a financial institution is not acceptable.) d. If readily available, photographs of the property and immediate area, and/or any other documentation which would support the request. If the request is approved by the transferee's immediate PCES manager, all documentation with that manager's supporting comments must be forwarded to the Director, Office of Accounting. Headquarters. The Director, Office of Accounting, will advise the transferee's immediate PCES executive of the final decision. If approved, the San Mateo PDC will be requested to initiate the RMF service for the transferee. Accordingly, all requests must include the employee's home and business telephone numbers, the exact address of the property, the BA code, and the finance number of the transferee's new duty station. Appeals on denials are not to be honored or directed "up the line." Handbeek F-12, June 1991 I hereby carsly that the amount claimed in connection with the above vansacton represents anty amoune actually paid by me and that we to the property IV. APPROVALS Exhibit 631.1 (page 1), Form 4877, Reimbursement of Real Estate Expenses-Change of Official Station Handbook F-12, June 1 |