THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS OF REAL PROPERTY ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS LAW (RPAPL) 1304 WERE NOT PROVEN; THE BANK’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the plaintiff bank did not demonstrate compliance with the notice requirements of Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (RPAPL) 1304 in this foreclosure action:

… [T]he plaintiff submitted, inter alia, the affidavit of Sherry W. McManus, a Vice President of Loan Documentation for the plaintiff. Although McManus stated in her affidavit that the RPAPL 1304 notice was mailed by regular and certified mail, and attached copies of the notice, the plaintiff failed to attach, as exhibits to the motion, any documents establishing that the notice was actually mailed … . Specifically, the plaintiff failed to submit a copy of any United States Post Office document indicating that the notice was sent by registered or certified mail as required by the statute … . Further, although McManus attested that she had personal knowledge of the plaintiff’s mailing practices, the substance of her affidavit was contradicted by the documents attached to it that purportedly evidenced the plaintiff’s compliance with RPAPL 1304, and her averments were contradicted by those made in another affidavit submitted by the plaintiff in support of its motion … . Since the plaintiff failed to provide evidence of the actual mailing, or reliable evidence of a standard office mailing procedure designed to ensure that the items were properly addressed and mailed, sworn to by someone with personal knowledge of the procedure, the plaintiff failed to establish its strict compliance with RPAPL 1304 … . Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v Bedell, 2020 NY Slip Op 04891, Second Dept 9-2-2020