(a) The lender must send written notice of the default to the borrower, and otherwise meet the standard of care established for the lender in this part. The lender's notice to the borrower should be sent as soon as possible after the default, but in any event before the lender's notice to BIA under paragraph (b) of this section. For purposes of the Program, “default” will mean a default as defined in this part.

(b) The lender also must send written notice of the default to BIA by certified mail (return receipt requested), or by a nationally-recognized overnight delivery service (signature of recipient required) within 60 calendar days of the default, unless the default is fully cured before that deadline. This notice is required even if the lender grants the borrower a forbearance under § 103.36(a). One purpose of the notice is to give BIA the opportunity to intervene and seek assistance for the borrower, even though BIA has no duty, either to the lender or the borrower, to do so. Another purpose of the notice is to permit BIA to plan for a possible loss claim from the lender, under § 103.36(d). The lender's notice must clearly indicate:

(1) The identity of the borrower;

(2) The applicable Program guaranty certificate or insurance agreement number;

(3) The date and nature of all bases for default;

(4) If a monetary default, the amount of past due principal and interest, the date through which interest has been calculated, and the amount of any late fees, precautionary advances, or other amounts the lender claims;

(5) The nature and outcome of any correspondence or other contacts with the borrower concerning the default; and

(6) The precise nature of any action the borrower could take to cure the default.

(a) The lender may grant the borrower a temporary forbearance, even beyond any default cure periods specified in the loan documents, if doing so is likely to result in the borrower curing the default. However, BIA must approve in writing any forbearance or other agreement that:

(1) Permanently modifies the terms of the loan in any manner indicated by § 103.34(a);

(2) Would allow the borrower's default to extend beyond the deadline established in § 103.36(d) for the lender to elect a remedy; or

(3) Is not likely to result in the borrower curing the default.

(b) The lender may make precautionary advances on the borrower's behalf during the default, if doing so is reasonably necessary to ensure that loan recovery prospects do not significantly deteriorate. Items for which the lender may make precautionary advances include, for example:

(1) Hazard, liability, or key man life insurance premiums;

(2) Security measures to safeguard abandoned business assets;

(3) Real or personal property taxes;

(4) Corrective actions required by court or administrative orders; or

(5) Essential maintenance.

(c) BIA will guaranty or insure the amount of precautionary advances from the date of each advance to the same extent as other amounts due under the loan, if:

(1) The borrower has demonstrated its inability or unwillingness to make the payment or perform the duty that jeopardizes loan recovery, including by undue delay in making the payment or performing the duty;

(2) The total expense of all precautionary advances by the lender does not at the time of the advance exceed 10 percent of the outstanding principal balance of the loan;

(3) Where loan document provisions do not require the borrower to repay precautionary advances (however termed) when made by the lender, or where the total expense of all precautionary advances by the lender will exceed 10 percent of the outstanding principal balance of the loan when made, the lender secures BIA's prior written approval; and

(4) The lender properly claims and documents all precautionary advances, if and when it submits a claim for loss under § 103.37.

(d) If the default remains uncured, the lender must send BIA a written notice by certified mail (return receipt requested), or by a nationally-recognized overnight delivery service (signature of recipient required) within 90 calendar days of the default to select one of the following remedies:

(1) In the case of a guaranteed loan, the lender may submit a claim to BIA for its loss;

(2) In the case of either a guaranteed or insured loan, the lender may liquidate all collateral securing the loan, and upon completion, if it has a residual loss on the loan, it may submit a claim to BIA for that loss; or

(3) The lender may negotiate a loan modification agreement with the borrower to permanently change the terms of the loan in a manner that will cure the default. If the lender chooses this remedy, it may take no longer than 45 calendar days from the date BIA receives the notice of remedy selection to finalize a loan modification agreement and secure BIA's written approval of it, unless BIA specifically extends this deadline in writing. However, the lender may at any time before the expiration of the 45-day period (or any extension thereof) change its choice of remedy by sending BIA a notice otherwise complying with § 103.36(d)(1) or (2). If the lender fails to send BIA a notice changing its choice of remedy and does not finalize an approved loan modification agreement within the 45-day period (or any extension thereof), the lender's only permissible remedy under the Program will be to pursue the procedure specified in § 103.36(d)(2).

(e) Failure by the lender to provide BIA with notice of the lender's election of remedy within 90 calendar days of the default, as indicated in § 103.36(d), will invalidate BIA's loan guaranty certificate or insurance coverage for that particular loan, absent an express waiver of this provision by BIA. BIA may preserve the validity of a loan guaranty certificate or insurance coverage through waiver of this provision only when BIA determines, in its discretion, that:

(1) The lender consistently has acted in good faith, and

(2) The lender's failure to provide timely notice either:

(i) Has not caused any actual or potential prejudice to BIA; or

(ii) Was the result of the lender relying upon specific written advice from a BIA official.

(a) For guaranteed loans, the lender must submit a claim for its loss on a form approved by BIA.

(1) If the lender makes an immediate claim under § 103.36(d)(1), it must send BIA the claim for loss within 90 calendar days of the default by certified mail (return receipt requested), or by a nationally-recognized overnight delivery service (signature of recipient required). The lender's claim for loss may include interest that has accrued on the outstanding principal amount of the loan only through the date it submits the claim.

(2) If the lender elects first to liquidate the collateral securing the loan under § 103.36(d)(2), and has a residual loss after doing so, it must send BIA the claim for loss within 30 calendar days of completing all liquidation efforts. The lender must perform collateral liquidation as expeditiously and thoroughly as is reasonably possible, within the standards established by this part. The lender's claim for loss may include interest that has accrued on the outstanding principal amount of the loan only through the earlier of:

(i) The date it submits the claim;

(ii) The date the lender gets a judgment of foreclosure or sale (or the non-judicial equivalent) on the principal collateral securing the loan; or

(iii) One hundred eighty calendar days after the date of the default.

(b) For insured loans, after liquidating all loan collateral, the lender must submit a claim for its loss (if any) on a form approved by BIA. The lender must send BIA the claim for loss by certified mail (return receipt requested), or by a nationally-recognized overnight delivery service (signature of recipient required) within 30 calendar days of completing all liquidation efforts. The lender must perform collateral liquidation as expeditiously and thoroughly as is reasonably possible, within the standards established by this part. The lender's claim for loss may include interest that has accrued on the outstanding principal amount of the loan through the earlier of:

(1) The date it submits the claim;

(2) The date the lender gets a judgment of foreclosure or sale (or the non-judicial equivalent) on the principal collateral securing the loan; or

(3) One hundred eighty calendar days after the date of the default.

(c) Whenever the lender liquidates loan collateral under § 103.36(d)(2), it must vigorously pursue all reasonable methods of collection concerning the loan collateral before submitting a claim for its residual loss (if any) to BIA. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the lender must:

(1) Foreclose, either judicially or non-judicially, all rights of redemption the borrower or any co-maker or guarantor of the loan (other than BIA) may have in collateral under any mortgage securing the loan;

(2) Gather and dispose of all personal property pledged as collateral under the loan, in accordance with applicable law;

(3) Exercise all set-off rights the lender may have under contract or applicable law;

(4) Make demand for payment on the borrower, all co-makers, and all guarantors of the loan (other than BIA); and

(5) Participate fully in all bankruptcy proceedings that may arise involving the borrower and any co-maker or guarantor of the loan. Full participation might include, for example, filing a proof of claim in the case, attending creditors' meetings, and seeking a court order releasing the automatic stay of collection efforts so that the lender can liquidate affected loan collateral.

(d) BIA may require further information, including without limitation copies of any documents the lender is to maintain under § 103.32 and all documentation of liquidation efforts, to help BIA evaluate the lender's claim for loss.

(e) BIA will pay the lender the guaranteed or insured portion of the lender's claim for loss, to the extent the claim is based upon reasonably sufficient evidence of the loss and compliance with the requirements of this part. BIA will render a decision on a claim for loss within 90 days of receiving all information it requires to properly evaluate the loss.

When BIA pays the lender on its claim for loss, the lender must sign and deliver to BIA an assignment of rights to its loan agreement with the borrower, in a document acceptable to BIA. Immediately upon payment, BIA is subrogated to all rights of the lender under the loan agreement with the borrower, and must pursue collection efforts against the borrower and any co-maker and guarantor, as required by law.

BIA may deny all or part of a lender's claim for loss when:

(a) The loan is not guaranteed or insured as indicated in § 103.18;

(b) The guarantee or insurance coverage has become invalid under §§ 103.28, 103.29, or 103.36(e);

(c) The lender has not met the standard of care indicated in § 103.30;

(d) The lender presents a claim for a residual loss after attempting to liquidate loan collateral, and:

(1) The lender has not made a reasonable effort to liquidate all security for the loan;

(2) The lender has taken an unreasonable amount of time to complete its liquidation efforts, the probable consequence of which has been to reduce overall prospects of loss recovery; or

(3) The lender's loss claim is inflated by unreasonable liquidation expenses or unjustifiable deductions from collateral liquidation proceeds applied to the loan balance; or

(e) The lender has otherwise failed in any material respect to follow the requirements of this part, and BIA can reasonably attribute some or all of the lender's loss to that failure.

(a) BIA will not reduce or deny payment solely on the basis of §§ 103.39(c) or (e) when the lender making the claim for loss:

(1) Is a person to whom a previous lender transferred the loan under §§ 103.28 or 103.29 before maturity for value;

(2) Notified BIA of its acquisition of the loan interest as required by §§ 103.28 or 103.29;

(3) Had no involvement in or knowledge of the actions or circumstances that would have allowed BIA to reduce or deny payment to a previous lender; and

(4) Has not itself violated the standards set forth in §§ 103.39(c) or (e).

(b) If BIA makes payment to a lender under this section, it may seek reimbursement from the previous lender or lenders who contributed to the loss by violating §§ 103.39(c) or (e).

In addition to reducing or eliminating payment on a specific claim for loss, BIA may either temporarily suspend, or permanently bar, a lender from making or acquiring loans under the Program if the lender repeatedly fails to abide by the requirements of this part, or if the lender significantly violates the requirements of this part on any single occasion.

(a) A lender must comply in general with Program requirements during:

(1) The effective period of its loan guaranty agreement or loan insurance agreement; and

(2) Whatever additional period is necessary to resolve any outstanding loan guaranty or insurance claims or coverage the lender may have.

(b) Except as otherwise required by law, a lender must maintain records with respect to a particular loan for 6 years after either:

(1) The loan is repaid in full; or

(2) The lender accepts payment from BIA for a loss on the loan, pursuant to a guaranty certificate or an insurance agreement.

(c) At any time 2 years or more following one of the events specified in paragraphs (b)(1) or (2) of this section, a lender may convert its records for corresponding loans to any electronic format that is readily retrievable and that provides an accurate, detailed image of the original records. Upon converting its records in this manner, the lender may dispose of its original loan records.

(d) This section does not restrict any claims BIA may have against the lender or any other party arising from the lender's participation in the Program.

The lender must completely and promptly release of record all remaining collateral for a guaranteed or insured loan after the loan has been paid in full. The release must be at the lender's sole cost. In addition, if the loan is prepaid the lender must notify BIA in accordance with § 103.33(f).