# Flood Email Template: Dispute

Dispute: Attached Deck in Flood Zone

I have reviewed this determination and unfortunately we are unable to update the zone due to the fact that portion of the deck lies within the flood zone. According to the National Flood Insurance Program Flood Insurance Manual; “Buildings, not the land, located in more than 1 flood zone/BFE must be rated using the more hazardous zone/BFE. This condition applies even though the portion of the building located in the more hazardous flood risk zone/ BFE may not be covered under the SFIP, such as a deck attached to a building. (Example: The building must be rated using the more hazardous flood risk zone/BFE if any portion of the attached deck foundation extends into the more hazardous flood risk zone/BFE.” GR-14.) (http://www.fema.gov/pdf/nfip/manual201205/content/03_generalrules.pdf)

At this point, if the homeowner chooses to continue disputing the flood zone, the next step would be to apply for a Letter of Map Amendment through FEMA. Below is the link to where the applications can be printed from for applying to FEMA for their review (they'll want to print off the MT-EZ or the MT-1 forms, depending on whether Fill has been placed to elevate these structures).

http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/frm_form.shtm

Thank you.

Dispute: Cannot Overturn City Name (Want Township)

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, I cannot make the change to the city as requested. Though the property is located within (TOWNSHIP/COMMUNITY NAME), there are several zip codes within the township boundaries. This particular property is located in zip code ____, which belongs to the city of _____. We have identified that it is in the community of (TOWNSHIP/COMMUNITY NAME) in the Community Name section on the certificate.

Have a good day!

Dispute: Cannot Overturn Flood Zone

I have reviewed this determination and manually mapped the property. Unfortunately we are unable to update the zone at this time. The structure does lie partially within the Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone ___) and I have been unable to locate any LOMA’s (Letter of Map Amendment) on FEMA’s website that indicate the property was removed. At this point if the borrower chooses to continue disputing the flood zone, the next step would be to apply for a Letter of Map Amendment through FEMA. Below is the link to where the applications can be printed from for applying to FEMA for their review (they'll want to print off the MT-EZ or the MT-1 forms, depending on whether Fill has been placed to elevate the structure). Please let me know if you have any further questions.

http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/frm_form.shtm

No changes have been made to the certificate.

Thank you and have a good day!

Dispute: Census Tract, Cannot Overturn

This determination went through automatically and was coded using a geo-coder that is compliance grade. Unfortunately, this is the most recent tract number available to us. We do not guarantee the census tract information on our flood determination. We guarantee the flood zone information and the census tract information serves only as a reference and should not be used for HMDA reporting.

Thank you..

Dispute: Census Tract, Corrected

I have corrected the information per the FFIEC website and you can access the revised certificate through your system. I do apologize for any inconvenience. Please keep in mind that this information is on the certificate as a courtesy to you and we do not guarantee it nor should it be used for HMDA reporting. Please let us know if there is anything else that we can help you with.

Thank you and have a good day.

Dispute: CLOMA

Unfortunately, since this document is only in the Conditional stage, we would not be able to use it until the Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) has been issued and given a Case # and an effective date. Please see the below description of a CLOMA which was taken from the FEMA website.

(http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/fq_genen.shtm#en12)

Table 1.
Type | Description
--- | ---
CLOMA | A Conditional Letter of Map Amendment (CLOMA) is FEMA's comment on whether a proposed project would be excluded from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) shown on the effective National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) map. The letter becomes effective on the date sent. This letter does not revise an effective NFIP map, but indicates whether the project, if built as proposed, would or would not be removed from the SFHA by FEMA if later submitted as a request for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA).
CLOMR | A Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) is FEMA's comment on a proposed project that would affect the hydrologic and/or hydraulic characteristics of a flooding source and thus result in the modification of the existing regulatory floodway or effective Base Flood Elevations (BFE). There is no appeal period. The letter becomes effective on the date sent. This letter does not revise an effective NFIP map, it indicates whether the project, if built as proposed, would or would not be removed from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) by FEMA if later submitted as a request for a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR).
CLOMR-F | A Conditional Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (CLOMR-F) is FEMA's comment on whether a proposed project involving the placement of fill would exclude an area from the SFHA shown on the NFIP map. The letter becomes effective on the date sent. This letter does not revise an effective NFIP map, but indicates whether the project, if built as proposed, would or would not be removed from the SFHA by FEMA if later submitted as a request for a Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F).

Dispute: Discrepancy Notification

During a quality analysis review we have identified that this determination was reflecting inaccurate flood information. The structure on this parcel is partially located in the flood zone. I have overturned the zone on this determination from ____ to ___ and the revised certificate should now be available from your system. Please re-print the updated copy as the previous is no longer valid. I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Have a wonderful day!

Dispute: Elevation Certificate

Unfortunately, Flood vendors are prohibited from considering elevations in our determinations. We are required to read the one-dimensional depiction of the floodplain on the flood map and report that. Only FEMA is allowed to review elevations to determine whether a structure is safe from flooding or not. If the borrower wishes to continue disputing the flood zone, they can apply to FEMA to see if their property can be removed from the flood hazard area with the elevation certificate. Below is the link to where the applications can be printed from for applying to FEMA for their review (they'll want to print off the MT-EZ or the MT-1 forms, depending on whether Fill has been placed to elevate the structure).

http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/frm_form.shtm

FEMA also has an online application process. Please see the link below for instructions along with additional information regarding the types of LOMC’s that this service currently supports.

http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-flood-hazard-mapping/change-flood-zone-designation-online-letter

Thank you.

Dispute: Elevation Certificate 2

In regards to the dialog below referencing an elevation certificate, that is something that would have to be filed and reviewed by FEMA to make the overall decision of removing the property from the flood zone. Once reviewed by FEMA they may issue a Letter of Map Correction (LOMC) in which would be designated a specific case number and effective date stating that the property in question has been removed from the flood zone based on the elevation and other documents that are required for the LOMC application. Once FEMA has published that document, as a flood vendor, we would then use that document to change the flood zone on the flood certificate and note the specific case number and effective date assigned by FEMA.

At this time, there are no LOMC’s published for this property.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with!

Dispute: General Response

The information has been updated on this determination per your request. You can access the revised copy of the certificate at any time through your system.

Have a good day!

Dispute: Incorrect Address Ordered

Since you need a different address than what was submitted, you will need to cancel this order and place a new order for the correct address. Please let us know if you need any assistance with the cancelation.

Thank you and have a good day!

Dispute: Land Only 1

This property is currently "LAND ONLY", meaning there isn't an improvement on it as of the most current aerial images we have access to. We are required to state whether any part of the land itself touches the flood zone, which this one does. Once a building is in place on the property, then we could recheck this using a survey, to see if the measurements for the building are such that we could change the determination. Until a building is in place, we are still required to let you know whether there is any chance that something built on this property would require flood insurance.

Thank you!

Dispute: Land Only 2

I have reviewed this determination and since it is currently "LAND ONLY” I am not able to change the zone. If you happen to have a site plan or survey of the proposed structure that includes the lot lines, structure dimensions and set- backs I would be more than happy to review this further for you.

No changes have been made to this certificate.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Dispute: Letter from County Official/Engineer/City Planner

Thank you for sending the letter, however, we must have either a plat or survey showing the structure’s exact location in order for us to remove the property from the flood zone. The authorizer of the letter may be taking into account information that is irrelevant or contrary to FEMA flood determination guidelines and may not be using vendor best practices that we are regulated by. I apologize for any inconvenience, but we must stay in compliance with FEMA flood determination guidelines.

If you are able to obtain a plat or survey of the property, please send it my way and I would be happy to review this property again for you. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you and have a good day.

Dispute: Multiple structures IN or OUT?

For compliance reasons and our business practice, if there is any structure (shed, detached garage, etc) located within the flood zone on a particular lot, the overall determination will be as “IN” the flood zone (this case zone AE). We will then list the structures located on the property and their zone designation if they are either “IN” or “OUT” of the flood zone and it is up to the particular institution as to which structures would need to carry a flood insurance policy. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Thank you and have a great day!

Dispute: Other Vender Cert - 1

Thank you for sending this information. Unfortunately, we will not be able to overturn the flood zone based on another flood vendor’s certificate. Because we guarantee all of our flood certificates, we must do our own independent research and cannot take any information from third parties into consideration. If you have any sort of plat map or survey we would be more than happy to take a closer look at this property.

Thank you.

Dispute: Ordered Lot # and Street Name in place of Address

I have reviewed this determination and found the correct address for this property is _____ according to (INSERT COUNTY/CITY RESOURCE HERE). I have updated the address on the certificate to reflect this and you can retrieve an updated copy immediately through your system.

Please keep in mind for future orders that our automated system cannot recognize a lot number/street name combination. It will always attempt to create a street address from what is entered. Instead, you should be submitting the address with either the street name only, the lot number only or with the words SEE LEGAL. In the notes section of the order form, please include the legal description/parcel id or any other pertinent information. You can also attach to the website or send in additional documents to floods@wolterskluwer.com to aid in the research of this property. Without a standard address these orders should be going to manual research to ensure they are completed properly which should save time for your institution from having to request reviews to revise the address. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you and have a good day.

Dispute: Want Legal/APN in Matched Address

Our business policy is to return the recorded physical address in the collateral section of the certificate and any parcel or legal information in the comments section (Section E). Please let me know if you have further questions.

Thank you and have a good day.

Dispute: Zone Overturned

I have manually remapped this property and overturned the flood zone from___ to ___. You can access the revised copy of the certificate through your system at any time.

Have a good day!

Dispute: Zone Overturned w/LOMC

Thank you for the information. I have revised the flood zone on this certificate to read _____ per the LOMA. You can access the updated copy of the certificate through your system at any time.

Have a good day!

Parent topic: Flood Email Template