www.hudclips.org 


U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C. 20410-8000

March 24, 1992
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
FOR HOUSING-FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER
MORTGAGEE LETTER 92-10
     TO:  ALL APPROVED MORTGAGEES
     SUBJECT:  Single Family Loan Production - Enhancements to CLAS
 
          Effective October 1, 1991, several enhancements were made to
     the CHUMS Lender Access System (CLAS version 7.0A).  The software
     containing these enhancements has been distributed to subscribing
     lenders.  This letter summarizes the changes and additions that
     were included in this recent CLAS release.  Because these
     enhancements will reduce or eliminate HUD internal processing
     steps, they will enable HUD to provide faster and more efficient
     processing of cases for lenders who use CLAS.  We encourage all
     mortgagees to make use of this automated tool whenever possible.
 
          Insurance Endorsements
 
          Lenders will now be able to transmit requests for insurance
          endorsement (Forms HUD-54111) through CLAS.  Requests
          transmitted via CLAS will pre-fill the CHUMS screens at HUD
          and enable HUD to provide quicker turn-around time on MICs.
          Transmission of this data through CLAS does not relieve the
          lender of the responsibility of sending the HUD-54111 form
          to the Field Office with the closing package.
 
          Lender Requests for Duplicate Mortgage Insurance
          Certificates (MICs)
 
          Lenders are now able to request a duplicate MIC through CLAS
          using the case number.  If the case number is on the active
          CHUMS system, the duplicate MIC will automatically be
          inserted into the Field Office print queue.  If the case has
          been archived by CHUMS, a restore of that case will be
          automatically triggered.  (CHUMS automatically archives
          cases 13 months after the MIC is issued).  The Field Office
          will print and mail the duplicate MIC to the lender.  The
          duplicate MIC will display the message "Duplicate via CLAS".
          Only requests for duplicate MICs should be requested through
          this feature.
 
_____________________________________________________________________
 
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Receiving/Assignment
 
The current Receiving/Assignment function has been expanded
to allow lenders to request case numbers on HECMs, regular
PD sales, and coinsurance cases.  If a case has multiple
warning messages, they will all be returned to the lender.
If a case number could not be assigned, an error message
which explains the problem is returned to the lender.
 
MIC Case Status
 
A new case status type has been added that will provide
lenders with MIC and MIP information (i.e.:  Date endorsed,
MIP amount due, MIP amount received).  This type of request
can be made by case number only.  If there is a problem with
the request, an error message will be returned to the
lender.
 
Reports
 
Lenders are now able to order four specialized CLAS reports:
Mortgagee Pipeline Report, MIP Premium on Non-Endorsed
cases, MIP Not Paid by Mortgagee, and Mortgagee Endorsement
Status Report.  The reports will be generated and be
returned to the lender via mail on a weekly or biweekly
basis by personnel under contract to HUD.
 
Compliance Inspectors
 
Lenders are now able to request assignment of a compliance
inspector after a case number has been issued (this function
is not valid for Master Conditional Commitment cases).
Requests will only be accepted if an inspector has not
already been assigned to the case.
 
Case Cancellation
 
Lenders are now able to cancel a case number through CLAS.
If the case could not be cancelled for any reason, an error
message will be returned to the lender.  CHUMS will retain a
record of who cancelled the case, and cases can be restored
by the Field Office if cancelled in error.
 
_____________________________________________________________________
 
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     If you encounter problems with the new enhancements, please
contact your software provider:  MORNET-FNMA, at 1-800-752-6440
or ECHO-MBSC at 1-800-992-ECHO.  Lenders which are not current
CLAS users may contact either provider at the telephone numbers
shown to obtain information on how to subscribe to the system.
 
                              Very sincerely yours,
 
                              Arthur J. Hill
                              Assistant Secretary for
                                Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner
 
                *U.S. Government Printing Office: 1992 - 312-218/60123