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[Claim for Real Estate Expenses]

B-210478 Mar 17, 1983
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Highlights

A decision was requested as to whether an Army employee could be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the sale of a home incident to a permanent change-of-station. The employee accepted a position which involved a transfer in order to retain his grade entitlement. Incident to this transfer, the employee put his home up for sale. After 1 year elapsed without a sale, the employee was granted a 1-year extension on the time allowed for real estate expense claims. However, due to a severely depressed real estate market and high interest rates, the home was not sold within this timeframe. The employee accepted the first offer he received, incurring a loss. Federal Travel Regulations provide reimbursement to an employee of real estate sales expenses; however, such reimbursement must be requested within 1 year after the date on which the employee reported for duty at his new duty station. A 1-year extension beyond the initial period may be granted, but this may not be extended further. Since the employee's entitlement period expired before the enactment date of a recent Federal Travel Regulations change which permits an additional extension, this revision was not applicable to the employee. Regulations prohibit reimbursement of the financial loss which the employee suffered when he sold his residence. Accordingly, there was no authority to allow the employee's claim for real estate expenses.

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