B21/1992 PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING VALUATIONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN VALUATION OFFICE

DATE OF ISSUE: 3 JUNE 1992

PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING VALUATIONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN VALUATION OFFICE

PURPOSE

The purpose of this DI is to inform you about changes to the Australian Valuation Office forms and procedures from 1 July 1992.

BACKGROUND

2.During our negotiations to establish a costing basis for the services provided by the Australian Valuation Office (AVO) it became apparent that DVA's recording mechanisms for these services were inadequate.

3.Following discussions with AVO and Branch Offices, new forms have been designed for use by Branch Offices for requesting valuations from AVO.  The new forms are accountable and will be in the Branch Offices ready for use from 1 July 1992.

CHANGES TO FORMS

4.The forms will be produced in triplicate in pads of 50 and the following changes have been made to the format.

.Specific forms are to be used for First Valuation Request, Valuation Review and Objection/Appeal Valuation.

.The forms will be numbered with a DVA reference number in the top right hand corner, for example,

.FV0000001 - (First Valuation Request sequence no 1),

.VR0000001 - (Valuation Review sequence no 1) and

.OV0000001 - (Objection/Appeal Valuation sequence no 1).

.The following additional information has been included and is to be completed (in block letters) by the DVA requesting officer.

.DVA referring officer and phone number.

.Residential address and telephone number.

.Date of valuation request.

.Changes have been made to "types of documentation attached" (as requested by Branch Offices).

.AVO is to supply the following information.

.Registered owners as per title.

.Effective date of valuation.

.Number of valuations.

RECORDING

5.Valuations are not to be requested from AVO unless on these approved forms.  Forms are to be used in strict sequence.

6.It will be necessary for each Branch Office to keep a manual register, in a central location, of all valuations requested.  It is suggested that there is one register for each form type eg. First Valuation Request (FV), Valuation Review (VR) and Objection/Appeal Valuation (OV).

7.The following information should be included in this register.

.The full form number including prefix, eg. OV0000001.

.DVA file number.

.Surname.

.Reason for request, ie. grant or review (as First Valuation Request may be required for grant or review action).

.Date sent.

.Date returned, and number of valuations (to be filled in on return from AVO).

8.Central Office will require these figures quarterly for reconciliation of the AVO account so please ensure that this information is easy to reproduce.

9.Any spoiled or damaged forms must still be registered in the manual as damaged then destroyed.

FILING OF FORMS

10.Forms are to be distributed as follows.

.Original and duplicate to the Australian Valuation Office.

.Triplicate DVA file.

.Completed form returned from AVO to DVA file.

CRITERIA FOR CASES TO AVO

11.Requests for valuations should only be made when,

.Pensioner's estimate of property is within $10,000 of PAL, or

.Pensioner's estimate of property appears to be grossly understated/overstated.

OVERSEAS VALUATIONS

12.The appropriate form should be completed and sent to Jeanette Ricketts, Standard and Control Section, Income Support, Central Office, to be forwarded to AVO Central Office for completion.

CONTACT

13.If you have any queries regarding any aspects of this DI, please contact Jeanette Ricketts on 06 289 6440.

Kay Grimsley

Assistant Secretary

Income Support