Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company!

TigerFan · 10-15-2009, 02:07 PM

I have laid out $8,000 paid to labor and materials on a $10,100 job. FAS has DENIED my invoice twice now - see their items below:

Background: Field Assets called us out to do CODE COMPLIANCE work at a home that was vacant, under contract and had some fire damage.

The city code compliance issued a line item demand for repairs at the home. The code repairs were 'paint all window sills', holes in roof, and repair 3 'peaks'.

We took 'before pictures' of the damage. A sampling of 2 windows, several roof pics and pics or each peak. We turned in 'after pictures' of the complete roof, all the peaks and all of the window sills painted.

The city code compliance CLEARED the job as complete.

Here's what Field Assets says for not paying us:

-------
The following work item was denied or canceled. Please contact FAS for more information. Loan Number: *********xx, Address: 501 BROWN AVE, ******, LA

Denial Reason: declining due to the following photos not provided. photos must support work even with a signoff from the city.
before and after photos showing 18 windows scraped and painted, currently showing 2 before and 11 after.
photos showing all rafters and damaged decking replaced.
hotos showing 26 squares of shingles removed and replaced
and 3 squares of flat roof removed and replaced.
all permits required to complete work.

Declined by *********************************************xx
------

FAS ACCEPTED the our quote with only 2 'before' window photos. Now they want 18 'before' photos, which is impossible since all the windows are now 'after' windows.

The '11' windows we turned in included doubles windows. We turned in pics of the entire finished roof - from the front and the back. We turned in pics showing the flat roof from a standing spot on the roof.

This is the third job they have pushed any and every angle not to pay. The other two were small - $450 and $150 jobs.

Keep in mind I have documented all work with pics in each case and they have found a way to not pay.

bamawildcat · 10-15-2009, 02:44 PM

Everyone remember when real human beings would come out for an inspection or sign off, and now everyone wants it done by somebody behind a desk who just looks at pictures you are expected to provide?

TigerFan · 10-15-2009, 07:02 PM

Update: Talked with them again today and I need to go back to the jobsite and take more pictures and the coordinator will try to get it accepted by Quality control.

This job is 1.5 hours away from home, so I'll be making the 1/2 day trip for more pics.

BTW, these guys pay on a 30 day time table, so now my job that has been completed for 3 weeks won't even get into their billing system until Monday if at all. Hello 50 day pay cycle.

It's getting worth it to take the other two to small claims court now and just get done with this ridiculousness.

TigerFan · 10-15-2009, 07:24 PM

I'd like to expand on the other two small jobs while I'm at it.

#1 -----
The $450.00 - we were contracted to demo a secondary structure on a property and to repaint fascia on the main house. The guys go to working on the fascia and get run off by bees - thousands of them. We submit a bid to have an apiary company come out and eradicate the bees. Give them a $450 price and they accept.

Bee guy comes out, kills the bees, takes down a 3' x 6' section of siding in order to clean out the entire beehive and charges me the $450.00. Says to leave it open for a week so that returning bees come back to nothing and just die off.

FAS denies the invoice because the siding was not put back up. I tell them the guy said to leave it down. Then after we complete the demo job in the back, the county attorney tells me they will be demolishing the front house as well.

I tell this to FAS and they still denied paying because I did not go back to site and put the siding up on a house that was going to be demolished. (Site is 1 hour away from home). House is now gone.

#2 ---
The $150 invoice, I did a rekey. First one I had done for them. House was locked with no key in the lock box, so I call a locksmith to come change the cores. Picked up new keys and put them in the lockbox.

FAS denies the bill. Says I should not have called a locksmith - that I should have 'busted the old lock out' and that I needed to have 'before', 'during' and 'after' picks to get paid.

So I go back out to the site, takes pics of the locks ('before' pics), take them out and take pics of the 'during' process and put them back in and take picks of the 'after' process.

Still refused because now they say the client declined the service.

I know SCAM is a strong word, but their actions for denying payment are beyond good faith.... way, way, way beyond good faith.

BEWARE of FAS.

XanadooLTD · 10-15-2009, 11:37 PM

hahaha. small claims court for someone who has a team of lawyers. That won't get very far. The best you can do is lien the property.

FremontREO · 10-16-2009, 01:30 AM

I hate to say this but count yourself lucky you are not being chargedback more....I hope you get paid but even if you do FAS will turn around and charge you back in a couple of months off another job that you complete. We see this all the time on the "newbies" that do not know this property preservation field. My suggestion is: contact a large company in the P&P field and sub to them and learn the trade for a couple years and learn the "fraud" that these companies do to the contractor before you start seeing the insurance claims on your policy for 6 figures...Yes it does happen and on your E&O insurance you had to put FAS as an additional insured and thus they have an "open checkbook" to file claims on your policy. Leins? you signed your right away to file leins when you signed your contract and most companies have a very severe "fine" on you personally and professionally (LLC, INC. etc) if you do file a lein. ... They are all a bunch of

oteroproperties · 10-18-2009, 02:07 PM

Please Dont take this the wrong way but this is the biggest problem with GC's working directly for these companies. They assume that standard practice applies. Trust me it does NOT!! I work for a VERY LARGE national company as a preservation contractor only. I only do GC work for realtors assigned by asset management companies directly. I am not personally a GC. I collaberate with a large contracting company based out of Tampa, FL for any projects requiring permitts.

If you ask any veteran preservation contractor their opinion on this matter, if he's telling the truth he will tell you that this issue is your fault. I know after putting out all that money you don't want to here that, but photo documentation is a corner you CAN NOT cut. I actually have a person on each crew who's sole job is to take photos. To me its that important. That's not to say they wouldn't find another reason to pay you, but you gave them all the reason they needed to screw you.

I do not currently work for FAS, but I do have friends in LA, GA, AL, and FL that do, and they have been for quite some time with no pay issues after they got the hang of it.

FYI, I did have this problem at one point but it was my fault and I learned my lesson. Now on large jobs, I take photos and footage. i dont send the footage but i have it just in case.

I hope you are able to get paid on the jobs you mentioned. It would be very bad business for FAS to hurt a contractor capable for the work you described.

good luck,

Dale-

TigerFan · 10-19-2009, 11:59 AM

Thanks for the constructive comments here... it really helps.

I should add that we have done several jobs for FAS that went fine. My experience is that Jan-July we were ok... but something changed during the summer that I believe is a "vendor management" issue with them.

For example, the $150 job. I went back out and undid the work and redid it specifically to have all the photos they needed (that was our first rekey job and I had originally only taken "after" photos). So I did the job twice, the second time to have all the documentation they needed, and yet they still have refused to pay... now claiming it's a "client" issue.

This current job, we turned in as many photos as we ever have on any job. We have the additional support of the city inspector saying it is complete to the city's satisfaction... and yet I'm having to go back out to the site just to get more bulk pictures.

A $10k job is not the biggest job we've done for FAS. So, with similar documentation we have completed work and gotten paid in the past.

My gripe is that there seems to be a change in FAS' stance and it didn't hit me until AFTER we had work completed. And it's now the third time it's hit me... which is PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR in my book.

OFW, FML, LOL.

oteroproperties · 10-19-2009, 03:16 PM

I think I'm in the same boat. We noticed a big shift in contractor support around the beginning of august. They hired a bunch of new coordinators still in training. My coordinator used to go to bat for me on issues that were either beyond my ccntrol or a mistake that could not be undone (like your issue) now we have these new people that don't know us, & don't know what we have contributed to the company. This seriously reduces contractor morale. I hope that things even out again soon, but you never know. In the mean time all we can do is our best work and hope they get there act together soon. Anyway good luck out there gents!!!

Dale

tsquared · 10-30-2009, 11:20 AM

I have worked for FAS for a year and half, and you guys are right on, something has changed and they nit pick me to death on my pics. It is ridiculous!! I can understand where they are coming from in some ways because I have seen some of the hack work from other vendors. It's nice to be able to find other people out there that are in the same situation. But FAS really needs to get their

together.

CaliJoe · 11-03-2009, 01:24 PM

Hi there - sorry to hear you're having trouble. Here's my comment as someone who currently does work for FAS as a GC.

1. Picture are part of the game in Property Preservation / Mortgage Field Services. We have to realize that the banks (whom FAS works for) are looking for any excuse not to have to pay on these invoices. Money is short and we're the target. Take pictures. Take lots of 'em. All my employees must carry a digital camera. If a sub wants to work for us, same rules apply. I've worked for years in this industry, and now more than ever, remembering your pictures is extremely necessary.

2. I think even more important... build a relationship with the FAS manager assigning you work. I can't stress how important this is. I have lost entire accounts and regained accounts based on relationships grown / not grown. I made the mistake of allowing one of my former employees to be the only one to build a relationship, and when he took off to start his own company, there went my entire account. I know make sure I know who they are, I go to the company workshops (yes it means flying out and spending money on hotels), but it's made a world of a difference in my revenue.

I hope you're able to work out your invoice getting paid. Feel free to drop me a line for any further feedback

FremontREO · 11-03-2009, 11:36 PM

What everyone in this business needs to understand is this: chargebacks are not originated from the company, albeit they are fast to jump on a chance to charge the contractor back for work, but the chargeback originates from the 2nd bid contractor or the contractor that goes and does a "2nd bid" or a "reverify icc" type of work order. With all the newbies getting in the business and not knowing the "how" to do the bids per icc regs the chargebacks are only getting worse.
Boy can I tell ya about some real ripoffs we have had but don't have a month to type them all out.
Example: we bid and received approval on a very large 2 story that the company/bank had turned off the electricity for unpaid bills that created the basement to flood since the sump pump quit running. The poor contractor forgot to mention that there was a sump pump. The result was $115,000 in mold remediation and rebuild that the initial service contractor got charged back for. The kick of the whole thing is the service company (no names) collected $140,000 from the contractor and $75,000 from the inspector that only had "drive by" inspections and had never entered the home. We didn't know that there was a chargeback to others till the subpeona got served on us 30 days after the job was completed.

Example 2: work order to tarp an active leak. No leak found on 2 different property visits and no staining and found City roofing permit that the roof had been replaced 2 years previously. BUT the first contractor kept saying there was a roof leak. We called and emailed (papertrail) where is this supposed roof leak is located?..they didn't know. We finally stated that we could not discover the active leak and no visible sign of roof leak and more information was needed. No action was ever taken by us or the first contractor to fix the roof but since nobody ever fixed this mysterious leaking roof we got a chargeback for $2800.00 for our share of the new roof that someone may at some time put on the home...
Anyway you have know your competitors and know what games they like to play since you can be absolutely run out of business by your competitors but always remember "what comes around goes around". Most of us that have been in the business mark up 25-30% on top of regular pricing to reflect the "cost of doing business" chargebacks. Thats how you stay in this business.
Good luck.

Hardly Working · 11-07-2009, 12:36 PM

I fell your pain. It was said best that documentation and photos is what covers your butt. If you had 18 windows to do, you know that you needed pics of each window before, during, after. It's the same thing as a rekey. If the work order says to change 2 locks you take pics of the 2 locks.

I will admit that there has been a change in the office people at FAS. I hear it from other vendors of FAS and their not pleased either.

I get sub work from 2 friends that work for FAS and I've had to go back out to a job and get extra pics of the work I've done because I forgot them or they requested more (trip charge).

It's a system thats not for everybody. SCAM I don't think so, PITA Yes. I've thought of going into it full time but the 30 day thing, and some of the equipment that you need has held me back.

Not trying to bust anyones hump here just my opinion.

Good luck with your battle with FAS.

EasyE · 04-28-2010, 10:10 PM

We are Grad student doing research on REO properties and we how the process is handled and how well it is managed. FAS takes a big tole in running this process and we would like more information concerning these complaints so we may more fully reach the problem that is going on between the transition between contractors and FAS. And please let your friends know because more the complaints the better of service we may be able to offer.
Please contact us at easye2001@hotmail.com
thank you
Matt

jimmys · 04-29-2010, 07:26 AM

I hope you're learning English syntax in graduate school, 'cause you didn't learn it in grade school.

Silver02TDI · 05-06-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanadooLTD

hahaha. small claims court for someone who has a team of lawyers. That won't get very far. The best you can do is lien the property.

It will get you somewhere if they figure getting the lawyers working on it would cost more than paying the claim

hgl · 06-27-2010, 09:16 AM

I have written a lot of estimates for FAS over the past few years. When I first started doing work for them a few years ago about half of the estimates were accepted and we got the jobs. Now almost none are approved for the work. I think the banks have no intention of doing this work unless it is code compliance work. The banks use these estimates to evaluate the value of the property and to negotiate with a prospective home buyer by saying it will take this amount of money to repair the home. Very few banks are doing any work on the foreclosed properties. It is not economical for them to put money in a home that has lost value and they will never recoup.
To write estimates that pay from $30-$50 that take several hours is not worth it unless they are close together. They do not pay for 30 days not 27 or 28 days but 30 days and you do have to jump through a lot of hoops to get paid.
I would not depend on getting very much business from Field Assets unless you are doing code compliance work and then the money is not great.

turbo65 · 07-16-2010, 05:22 PM

welcome to the world of property preservation,all these companies do is look for any angle not to pay you while they charge their client(bank) top dollar and not to mention iam sure they charged you a percentage just to work for them.get outta this industry before you lose to much more money.wait till they start sending you their price list for lock changes wints,boarding ect your gonna love it.this is a industry that is unregulated and seems to forget that without the guy in field whom accutually does the work and basically floats them a loan to complete a project they are nothing but pencil pushers who if they can rip off enough contractors they probally will get a raise.but as others have stated if you repaired that many windows you should have taken before,during and afters of each window the originals were good enough for a bid but not the approvals.REMEMBER your camera is your most important tool to get paid

ECinc · 07-16-2010, 10:06 PM

My first and only experience was this. They contacted me to do a rehab on a foreclosed newer house within 15 minutes of my office. Went there to check it out and work up a number. I'm there about 30 mintues when someone starts coming in the place. I'm thinking oh no, pissed off former owner! It was two women, they said who are you? What are you doing here? I explain. They so no we were hired by another company to clean it out.

I call the rep from FAS tell him the story. He says "Oh man, i don't know why this keeps happening." Tells me to fill out some form and I'll get $50 for going there. Never filled it out and never had anything to do with them again.

turbo65 · 07-16-2010, 10:31 PM

thats the problem keeps happening on pupose they issue two w/o`s because they are both due,flip a coin and thats who they send the money job to with no regards to your past history or work preformance. and does it really make sense when only one contractor is needed to complete both?makes you wonder who your working for

10-15-2009, 07:02 PM	#3
TigerFan View Profile TigerFan Contractor, v2.0 Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (188) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Contractor, v2.0 Trade: General Contractor Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 188	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! Update: Talked with them again today and I need to go back to the jobsite and take more pictures and the coordinator will try to get it accepted by Quality control. This job is 1.5 hours away from home, so I'll be making the 1/2 day trip for more pics. BTW, these guys pay on a 30 day time table, so now my job that has been completed for 3 weeks won't even get into their billing system until Monday if at all. Hello 50 day pay cycle. It's getting worth it to take the other two to small claims court now and just get done with this ridiculousness. __________________ http://www.bayoucontracting.com

10-15-2009, 07:24 PM	#4
TigerFan View Profile TigerFan Contractor, v2.0 Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (188) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Contractor, v2.0 Trade: General Contractor Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 188	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I'd like to expand on the other two small jobs while I'm at it. #1 ----- The $450.00 - we were contracted to demo a secondary structure on a property and to repaint fascia on the main house. The guys go to working on the fascia and get run off by bees - thousands of them. We submit a bid to have an apiary company come out and eradicate the bees. Give them a $450 price and they accept. Bee guy comes out, kills the bees, takes down a 3' x 6' section of siding in order to clean out the entire beehive and charges me the $450.00. Says to leave it open for a week so that returning bees come back to nothing and just die off. FAS denies the invoice because the siding was not put back up. I tell them the guy said to leave it down. Then after we complete the demo job in the back, the county attorney tells me they will be demolishing the front house as well. I tell this to FAS and they still denied paying because I did not go back to site and put the siding up on a house that was going to be demolished. (Site is 1 hour away from home). House is now gone. #2 --- The $150 invoice, I did a rekey. First one I had done for them. House was locked with no key in the lock box, so I call a locksmith to come change the cores. Picked up new keys and put them in the lockbox. FAS denies the bill. Says I should not have called a locksmith - that I should have 'busted the old lock out' and that I needed to have 'before', 'during' and 'after' picks to get paid. So I go back out to the site, takes pics of the locks ('before' pics), take them out and take pics of the 'during' process and put them back in and take picks of the 'after' process. Still refused because now they say the client declined the service. I know SCAM is a strong word, but their actions for denying payment are beyond good faith.... way, way, way beyond good faith. BEWARE of FAS. __________________ http://www.bayoucontracting.com

10-15-2009, 11:37 PM	#5
XanadooLTD View Profile XanadooLTD JumboJack for president! Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (747) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity JumboJack for president! Trade: Hilti walking billboard Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 747	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! hahaha. small claims court for someone who has a team of lawyers. That won't get very far. The best you can do is lien the property.

10-16-2009, 01:30 AM	#6
FremontREO View Profile FremontREO Sluggin away Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (1,097) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Sluggin away Trade: Dihydrogen monoxide remediation/GC/REO/Insurance Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Iowa - Midwest Posts: 1,097	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I hate to say this but count yourself lucky you are not being chargedback more....I hope you get paid but even if you do FAS will turn around and charge you back in a couple of months off another job that you complete. We see this all the time on the "newbies" that do not know this property preservation field. My suggestion is: contact a large company in the P&P field and sub to them and learn the trade for a couple years and learn the "fraud" that these companies do to the contractor before you start seeing the insurance claims on your policy for 6 figures...Yes it does happen and on your E&O insurance you had to put FAS as an additional insured and thus they have an "open checkbook" to file claims on your policy. Leins? you signed your right away to file leins when you signed your contract and most companies have a very severe "fine" on you personally and professionally (LLC, INC. etc) if you do file a lein. ... They are all a bunch of

10-18-2009, 02:07 PM	#7
oteroproperties View Profile oteroproperties Pro Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (118) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Pro Trade: Property Preservation Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 118	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! Please Dont take this the wrong way but this is the biggest problem with GC's working directly for these companies. They assume that standard practice applies. Trust me it does NOT!! I work for a VERY LARGE national company as a preservation contractor only. I only do GC work for realtors assigned by asset management companies directly. I am not personally a GC. I collaberate with a large contracting company based out of Tampa, FL for any projects requiring permitts. If you ask any veteran preservation contractor their opinion on this matter, if he's telling the truth he will tell you that this issue is your fault. I know after putting out all that money you don't want to here that, but photo documentation is a corner you CAN NOT cut. I actually have a person on each crew who's sole job is to take photos. To me its that important. That's not to say they wouldn't find another reason to pay you, but you gave them all the reason they needed to screw you. I do not currently work for FAS, but I do have friends in LA, GA, AL, and FL that do, and they have been for quite some time with no pay issues after they got the hang of it. FYI, I did have this problem at one point but it was my fault and I learned my lesson. Now on large jobs, I take photos and footage. i dont send the footage but i have it just in case. I hope you are able to get paid on the jobs you mentioned. It would be very bad business for FAS to hurt a contractor capable for the work you described. good luck, Dale- __________________ Residential Electrician 95-04 Residential Construction Manager 04-06 Real Estate Investor 05-06 Property Preservation Contractor 05-current

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10-15-2009, 02:07 PM	#1
TigerFan View Profile TigerFan Contractor, v2.0 Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (188) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Contractor, v2.0 Trade: General Contractor Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 188	Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I have laid out $8,000 paid to labor and materials on a $10,100 job. FAS has DENIED my invoice twice now - see their items below: Background: Field Assets called us out to do CODE COMPLIANCE work at a home that was vacant, under contract and had some fire damage. The city code compliance issued a line item demand for repairs at the home. The code repairs were 'paint all window sills', holes in roof, and repair 3 'peaks'. We took 'before pictures' of the damage. A sampling of 2 windows, several roof pics and pics or each peak. We turned in 'after pictures' of the complete roof, all the peaks and all of the window sills painted. The city code compliance CLEARED the job as complete. Here's what Field Assets says for not paying us: ------- The following work item was denied or canceled. Please contact FAS for more information. Loan Number: *******xx, Address: 501 BROWN AVE, **, LA Denial Reason: declining due to the following photos not provided. photos must support work even with a signoff from the city. before and after photos showing 18 windows scraped and painted, currently showing 2 before and 11 after. photos showing all rafters and damaged decking replaced. hotos showing 26 squares of shingles removed and replaced and 3 squares of flat roof removed and replaced. all permits required to complete work. Declined by *******************************************xx ------ FAS ACCEPTED the our quote with only 2 'before' window photos. Now they want 18 'before' photos, which is impossible since all the windows are now 'after' windows. The '11' windows we turned in included doubles windows. We turned in pics of the entire finished roof - from the front and the back. We turned in pics showing the flat roof from a standing spot on the roof. This is the third job they have pushed any and every angle not to pay. The other two were small - $450 and $150 jobs. Keep in mind I have documented all work with pics in each case and they have found a way to not pay. __________________ http://www.bayoucontracting.com

10-15-2009, 02:44 PM	#2
bamawildcat View Profile bamawildcat Burritos Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (41) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Burritos Trade: Lectrical Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! Everyone remember when real human beings would come out for an inspection or sign off, and now everyone wants it done by somebody behind a desk who just looks at pictures you are expected to provide?

10-19-2009, 11:59 AM	#8
TigerFan View Profile TigerFan Contractor, v2.0 Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (188) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Contractor, v2.0 Trade: General Contractor Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 188	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! Thanks for the constructive comments here... it really helps. I should add that we have done several jobs for FAS that went fine. My experience is that Jan-July we were ok... but something changed during the summer that I believe is a "vendor management" issue with them. For example, the $150 job. I went back out and undid the work and redid it specifically to have all the photos they needed (that was our first rekey job and I had originally only taken "after" photos). So I did the job twice, the second time to have all the documentation they needed, and yet they still have refused to pay... now claiming it's a "client" issue. This current job, we turned in as many photos as we ever have on any job. We have the additional support of the city inspector saying it is complete to the city's satisfaction... and yet I'm having to go back out to the site just to get more bulk pictures. A $10k job is not the biggest job we've done for FAS. So, with similar documentation we have completed work and gotten paid in the past. My gripe is that there seems to be a change in FAS' stance and it didn't hit me until AFTER we had work completed. And it's now the third time it's hit me... which is PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR in my book. OFW, FML, LOL. __________________ http://www.bayoucontracting.com

10-19-2009, 03:16 PM	#9
oteroproperties View Profile oteroproperties Pro Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (118) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Pro Trade: Property Preservation Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 118	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I think I'm in the same boat. We noticed a big shift in contractor support around the beginning of august. They hired a bunch of new coordinators still in training. My coordinator used to go to bat for me on issues that were either beyond my ccntrol or a mistake that could not be undone (like your issue) now we have these new people that don't know us, & don't know what we have contributed to the company. This seriously reduces contractor morale. I hope that things even out again soon, but you never know. In the mean time all we can do is our best work and hope they get there act together soon. Anyway good luck out there gents!!! Dale __________________ Residential Electrician 95-04 Residential Construction Manager 04-06 Real Estate Investor 05-06 Property Preservation Contractor 05-current

10-30-2009, 11:20 AM	#10
tsquared View Profile tsquared Registered User Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (1) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Registered User Trade: property preservation Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I have worked for FAS for a year and half, and you guys are right on, something has changed and they nit pick me to death on my pics. It is ridiculous!! I can understand where they are coming from in some ways because I have seen some of the hack work from other vendors. It's nice to be able to find other people out there that are in the same situation. But FAS really needs to get their together.

11-03-2009, 01:24 PM	#11
CaliJoe View Profile CaliJoe Registered User Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (11) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Registered User Trade: Residential Remodeling, Code Enforcement Specialist Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 11	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! Hi there - sorry to hear you're having trouble. Here's my comment as someone who currently does work for FAS as a GC. 1. Picture are part of the game in Property Preservation / Mortgage Field Services. We have to realize that the banks (whom FAS works for) are looking for any excuse not to have to pay on these invoices. Money is short and we're the target. Take pictures. Take lots of 'em. All my employees must carry a digital camera. If a sub wants to work for us, same rules apply. I've worked for years in this industry, and now more than ever, remembering your pictures is extremely necessary. 2. I think even more important... build a relationship with the FAS manager assigning you work. I can't stress how important this is. I have lost entire accounts and regained accounts based on relationships grown / not grown. I made the mistake of allowing one of my former employees to be the only one to build a relationship, and when he took off to start his own company, there went my entire account. I know make sure I know who they are, I go to the company workshops (yes it means flying out and spending money on hotels), but it's made a world of a difference in my revenue. I hope you're able to work out your invoice getting paid. Feel free to drop me a line for any further feedback Last edited by CaliJoe; 11-03-2009 at 01:28 PM. Reason: Re-post

11-03-2009, 11:36 PM	#12
FremontREO View Profile FremontREO Sluggin away Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (1,097) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Sluggin away Trade: Dihydrogen monoxide remediation/GC/REO/Insurance Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Iowa - Midwest Posts: 1,097	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! What everyone in this business needs to understand is this: chargebacks are not originated from the company, albeit they are fast to jump on a chance to charge the contractor back for work, but the chargeback originates from the 2nd bid contractor or the contractor that goes and does a "2nd bid" or a "reverify icc" type of work order. With all the newbies getting in the business and not knowing the "how" to do the bids per icc regs the chargebacks are only getting worse. Boy can I tell ya about some real ripoffs we have had but don't have a month to type them all out. Example: we bid and received approval on a very large 2 story that the company/bank had turned off the electricity for unpaid bills that created the basement to flood since the sump pump quit running. The poor contractor forgot to mention that there was a sump pump. The result was $115,000 in mold remediation and rebuild that the initial service contractor got charged back for. The kick of the whole thing is the service company (no names) collected $140,000 from the contractor and $75,000 from the inspector that only had "drive by" inspections and had never entered the home. We didn't know that there was a chargeback to others till the subpeona got served on us 30 days after the job was completed. Example 2: work order to tarp an active leak. No leak found on 2 different property visits and no staining and found City roofing permit that the roof had been replaced 2 years previously. BUT the first contractor kept saying there was a roof leak. We called and emailed (papertrail) where is this supposed roof leak is located?..they didn't know. We finally stated that we could not discover the active leak and no visible sign of roof leak and more information was needed. No action was ever taken by us or the first contractor to fix the roof but since nobody ever fixed this mysterious leaking roof we got a chargeback for $2800.00 for our share of the new roof that someone may at some time put on the home... Anyway you have know your competitors and know what games they like to play since you can be absolutely run out of business by your competitors but always remember "what comes around goes around". Most of us that have been in the business mark up 25-30% on top of regular pricing to reflect the "cost of doing business" chargebacks. Thats how you stay in this business. Good luck.

11-07-2009, 12:36 PM	#13
Hardly Working View Profile Hardly Working Pro Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (630) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Pro Trade: Carpenter Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Seattle,WA Posts: 630	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I fell your pain. It was said best that documentation and photos is what covers your butt. If you had 18 windows to do, you know that you needed pics of each window before, during, after. It's the same thing as a rekey. If the work order says to change 2 locks you take pics of the 2 locks. I will admit that there has been a change in the office people at FAS. I hear it from other vendors of FAS and their not pleased either. I get sub work from 2 friends that work for FAS and I've had to go back out to a job and get extra pics of the work I've done because I forgot them or they requested more (trip charge). It's a system thats not for everybody. SCAM I don't think so, PITA Yes. I've thought of going into it full time but the 30 day thing, and some of the equipment that you need has held me back. Not trying to bust anyones hump here just my opinion. Good luck with your battle with FAS.

04-28-2010, 10:10 PM	#14
EasyE View Profile EasyE Registered User Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (1) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Registered User Trade: easy Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! We are Grad student doing research on REO properties and we how the process is handled and how well it is managed. FAS takes a big tole in running this process and we would like more information concerning these complaints so we may more fully reach the problem that is going on between the transition between contractors and FAS. And please let your friends know because more the complaints the better of service we may be able to offer. Please contact us at easye2001@hotmail.com thank you Matt

04-29-2010, 07:26 AM	#15
jimmys View Profile jimmys JimmyS Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (198) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity JimmyS Trade: General contractor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mass Posts: 198	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I hope you're learning English syntax in graduate school, 'cause you didn't learn it in grade school.

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06-27-2010, 09:16 AM	#17
hgl View Profile hgl Registered User Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (1) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity Registered User Trade: GC Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 1	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! I have written a lot of estimates for FAS over the past few years. When I first started doing work for them a few years ago about half of the estimates were accepted and we got the jobs. Now almost none are approved for the work. I think the banks have no intention of doing this work unless it is code compliance work. The banks use these estimates to evaluate the value of the property and to negotiate with a prospective home buyer by saying it will take this amount of money to repair the home. Very few banks are doing any work on the foreclosed properties. It is not economical for them to put money in a home that has lost value and they will never recoup. To write estimates that pay from $30-$50 that take several hours is not worth it unless they are close together. They do not pay for 30 days not 27 or 28 days but 30 days and you do have to jump through a lot of hoops to get paid. I would not depend on getting very much business from Field Assets unless you are doing code compliance work and then the money is not great.

07-16-2010, 05:22 PM	#18
turbo65 View Profile turbo65 turbo65 Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (31) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity turbo65 Trade: constuction Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: wales ny Posts: 31	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! welcome to the world of property preservation,all these companies do is look for any angle not to pay you while they charge their client(bank) top dollar and not to mention iam sure they charged you a percentage just to work for them.get outta this industry before you lose to much more money.wait till they start sending you their price list for lock changes wints,boarding ect your gonna love it.this is a industry that is unregulated and seems to forget that without the guy in field whom accutually does the work and basically floats them a loan to complete a project they are nothing but pencil pushers who if they can rip off enough contractors they probally will get a raise.but as others have stated if you repaired that many windows you should have taken before,during and afters of each window the originals were good enough for a bid but not the approvals.REMEMBER your camera is your most important tool to get paid

07-16-2010, 10:06 PM	#19
ECinc View Profile ECinc New Guy Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (27) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity New Guy Trade: General Contractor Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 27	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! My first and only experience was this. They contacted me to do a rehab on a foreclosed newer house within 15 minutes of my office. Went there to check it out and work up a number. I'm there about 30 mintues when someone starts coming in the place. I'm thinking oh no, pissed off former owner! It was two women, they said who are you? What are you doing here? I explain. They so no we were hired by another company to clean it out. I call the rep from FAS tell him the story. He says "Oh man, i don't know why this keeps happening." Tells me to fill out some form and I'll get $50 for going there. Never filled it out and never had anything to do with them again.

07-16-2010, 10:31 PM	#20
turbo65 View Profile turbo65 turbo65 Send Message Follow Blogs (0) Threads (31) Photos (0) Reviews (0) Projects (0) Toolbox (0) View All Activity turbo65 Trade: constuction Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: wales ny Posts: 31	Re: Field Assets Services Has Become A SCAM/FRAUD Company! thats the problem keeps happening on pupose they issue two w/o`s because they are both due,flip a coin and thats who they send the money job to with no regards to your past history or work preformance. and does it really make sense when only one contractor is needed to complete both?makes you wonder who your working for