Adlaw Appraisals – Who is authorized to receive a copy of the appraisal?

“Can I have a copy of the appraisal report please? I paid for it, don’t I receive a copy?”

Thank you for contacting us regarding a copy of the appraisal report prepared for your mortgage transaction. We understand your interest in receiving this document, especially as you may have paid the appraisal fee as part of your lending costs.

We must adhere strictly to the professional standards set by the Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC), codified in the Canadian Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (CUSPAP). These standards govern how appraisal reports are commissioned, written, and distributed, and they prevent us from sending the report directly to you.

Here is an explanation of the professional requirements and the specific steps required to obtain a copy:

1. The Professional Client Relationship

In this situation, the mortgage broker or lender who directly ordered the report is defined as the Authorized Client, regardless of who paid the fee for the service. As the appraiser, our professional and legal duty is owed to that entity. The lender/broker is deemed to be your client, not us as the appraisal firm.  

2. Mandatory Confidentiality and Use Restriction

CUSPAP’s Ethics Standard mandates that we treat the analyses, opinions, and conclusions within the report as confidential information belonging exclusively to the Authorized Client.  

Furthermore, the standard residential form utilized for mortgage financing is classified as a single-user report. The report is specifically scoped and written to meet the lender’s needs for risk assessment and collateral evaluation. Unauthorized release to a third party, such as a homeowner, exposes the appraiser to unforeseen liability and violates these professional standards.  We recommend contacting your mortgage broker or lender immediately as they may be able to answer some basic questions pertaining to the appraisal completed on your behalf. 

More Resrouces: Who is the appraiser’s client

Thank you for your understanding regarding these professional requirements.

Let us know if you have any questions, happy to help!

Sincerely,

info@adlawappraisals.com

www.adlawappraisals.com

604-809-8506 (call or text)