Legal Services

The Vendor is required to provide legal services for include:
•    Initiate and conduct mortgage style tax foreclosures as directed in NCGS 105-374. 
•    The tax administrator will assign delinquent accounts at least once per year for foreclosure. 
•    The tax administrator will choose the delinquent accounts for tax foreclosure, as well as the number of accounts submitted for tax foreclosure. 
•    Serve notices to all parties involved, including a demand letter with a 30-day deadline to pay in full before incurring any fees or costs in a foreclosure action. 
•    Complete title search and file complaint within four (4) months upon receiving delinquent accounts from the tax administrator, unless special circumstances arise as a result of the title search as determined by the county.
•    The following are required of all firms responding to this RFP:
o    Must comply with all state laws for mortgage style property tax foreclosures.
o    Must agree that the county will determine the frequency of distribution of accounts, however, there will be at least one distribution per year.
o    Must agree to no volume requirement. 
o    The estimate at this time is between 50 – 250 accounts annually.
o    Must be willing to meet with the county tax administrator, county attorney, county finance director, and county budget director regarding foreclosure process as necessary.
o    Must agree to start the foreclosure process within four (4) months of receiving file from the county. 
o    Must provide the county tax administrator with monthly status reports of accounts. 
o    Must agree that all foreclosure work be completed on accounts within 12 months of the firm’s start date (desired completion time is 4-9 months). 
o    Title-complex cases may be allowed longer based on county agreement. 
o    Must complete a minimum of a 40-year title search. 
o    Must understand that advertisement by publication is acceptable and allowable by law. 
o    Must agree to work jointly with the county in determining which records are to be deemed impractical and impossible for the foreclosure attorney to complete. 
o    Must agree to advertise foreclosure auctions on the firm’s website. 
o    Must provide information about the minimum amount of time vendor would advertise prior to a foreclosure and must follow the guidelines outlined in general statutes. 
o    Must be willing to meet with the sheriff’s office and clerk of court to work within their requirements. 
o    Must have the ability to communicate with the county up to a daily basis in an electronic format. 
o    Must understand that previously awarded foreclosures would be completed by the original foreclosure attorney. 
o    This contract is for new mortgage style foreclosure accounts going forward. 
o    Must carry case fees, costs, and expenses incurred until the case reaches settlement or otherwise as described in invoicing instructions. 
o    Must be licensed to practice law in state and in good standing with the state bar association. 
o    Must follow records retention and disposition schedule for county tax administration issued by department. 
o    Must meet all county minimum insurance and requirements.