2011 Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 107 - Deeds of Trust
NRS 107.086 - Additional requirements for sale of owner-occupied housing: Notice; form; election of mediation; adoption of rules concerning mediation; applicability.

1. In addition to the requirements of NRS 107.085, the exercise of the power of sale pursuant to NRS 107.080 with respect to any trust agreement which concerns owner-occupied housing is subject to the provisions of this section.

2. The trustee shall not exercise a power of sale pursuant to NRS 107.080 unless the trustee:

(a) Includes with the notice of default and election to sell which is mailed to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record as required by subsection 3 of NRS 107.080:

(1) Contact information which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may use to reach a person with authority to negotiate a loan modification on behalf of the beneficiary of the deed of trust;

(2) Contact information for at least one local housing counseling agency approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(3) A notice provided by the Mediation Administrator indicating that the grantor or the person who holds the title of record has the right to seek mediation pursuant to this section; and

(4) A form upon which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may indicate an election to enter into mediation or to waive mediation pursuant to this section and one envelope addressed to the trustee and one envelope addressed to the Mediation Administrator, which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may use to comply with the provisions of subsection 3;

(b) Serves a copy of the notice upon the Mediation Administrator; and

(c) Causes to be recorded in the office of the recorder of the county in which the trust property, or some part thereof, is situated:

(1) The certificate provided to the trustee by the Mediation Administrator pursuant to subsection 3 or 6 which provides that no mediation is required in the matter; or

(2) The certificate provided to the trustee by the Mediation Administrator pursuant to subsection 7 which provides that mediation has been completed in the matter.

3. The grantor or the person who holds the title of record shall, not later than 30 days after service of the notice in the manner required by NRS 107.080, complete the form required by subparagraph (4) of paragraph (a) of subsection 2 and return the form to the trustee by certified mail, return receipt requested. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record indicates on the form an election to enter into mediation, the trustee shall notify the beneficiary of the deed of trust and every other person with an interest as defined in NRS 107.090, by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the election of the grantor or the person who holds the title of record to enter into mediation and file the form with the Mediation Administrator, who shall assign the matter to a senior justice, judge, hearing master or other designee and schedule the matter for mediation. No further action may be taken to exercise the power of sale until the completion of the mediation. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record indicates on the form an election to waive mediation or fails to return the form to the trustee as required by this subsection, the trustee shall execute an affidavit attesting to that fact under penalty of perjury and serve a copy of the affidavit, together with the waiver of mediation by the grantor or the person who holds the title of record, or proof of service on the grantor or the person who holds the title of record of the notice required by subsection 2 of this section and subsection 3 of NRS 107.080, upon the Mediation Administrator. Upon receipt of the affidavit and the waiver or proof of service, the Mediation Administrator shall provide to the trustee a certificate which provides that no mediation is required in the matter.

4. Each mediation required by this section must be conducted by a senior justice, judge, hearing master or other designee pursuant to the rules adopted pursuant to subsection 8. The beneficiary of the deed of trust or a representative shall attend the mediation. The grantor or a representative shall attend the mediation if the grantor elected to enter into mediation, or the person who holds the title of record or a representative shall attend the mediation if the person who holds the title of record elected to enter into mediation. The beneficiary of the deed of trust shall bring to the mediation the original or a certified copy of the deed of trust, the mortgage note and each assignment of the deed of trust or mortgage note. If the beneficiary of the deed of trust is represented at the mediation by another person, that person must have authority to negotiate a loan modification on behalf of the beneficiary of the deed of trust or have access at all times during the mediation to a person with such authority.

5. If the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the representative fails to attend the mediation, fails to participate in the mediation in good faith or does not bring to the mediation each document required by subsection 4 or does not have the authority or access to a person with the authority required by subsection 4, the mediator shall prepare and submit to the Mediation Administrator a petition and recommendation concerning the imposition of sanctions against the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the representative. The court may issue an order imposing such sanctions against the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the representative as the court determines appropriate, including, without limitation, requiring a loan modification in the manner determined proper by the court.

6. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record elected to enter into mediation and fails to attend the mediation, the Mediation Administrator shall provide to the trustee a certificate which states that no mediation is required in the matter.

7. If the mediator determines that the parties, while acting in good faith, are not able to agree to a loan modification, the mediator shall prepare and submit to the Mediation Administrator a recommendation that the matter be terminated. The Mediation Administrator shall provide to the trustee a certificate which provides that the mediation required by this section has been completed in the matter.

8. The Supreme Court shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The rules must, without limitation, include provisions:

(a) Designating an entity to serve as the Mediation Administrator pursuant to this section. The entities that may be so designated include, without limitation, the Administrative Office of the Courts, the district court of the county in which the property is situated or any other judicial entity.

(b) Ensuring that mediations occur in an orderly and timely manner.

(c) Requiring each party to a mediation to provide such information as the mediator determines necessary.

(d) Establishing procedures to protect the mediation process from abuse and to ensure that each party to the mediation acts in good faith.

(e) Establishing a total fee of not more than $400 that may be charged and collected by the Mediation Administrator for mediation services pursuant to this section and providing that the responsibility for payment of the fee must be shared equally by the parties to the mediation.

9. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 11, the provisions of this section do not apply if:

(a) The grantor or the person who holds the title of record has surrendered the property, as evidenced by a letter confirming the surrender or delivery of the keys to the property to the trustee, the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the mortgagee, or an authorized agent thereof; or

(b) A petition in bankruptcy has been filed with respect to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record under chapter 7, 11, 12 or 13 of Title 11 of the United States Code and the bankruptcy court has not entered an order closing or dismissing the case or granting relief from a stay of foreclosure.

10. A noncommercial lender is not excluded from the application of this section.

11. The Mediation Administrator and each mediator who acts pursuant to this section in good faith and without gross negligence are immune from civil liability for those acts.

12. As used in this section:

(a) Mediation Administrator means the entity so designated pursuant to subsection 8.

(b) Noncommercial lender means a lender which makes a loan secured by a deed of trust on owner-occupied housing and which is not a bank, financial institution or other entity regulated pursuant to title 55 or 56 of NRS.

(c) Owner-occupied housing means housing that is occupied by an owner as the owner s primary residence. The term does not include vacant land or any time share or other property regulated under chapter 119A of NRS.

(Added to NRS by 2009, 1752; A 2011, 1683, 2033, 3538)