[Customs Service Employee's Claim for Reimbursement for Loan Origination Fee]

The U.S. Customs Service requested a decision regarding a transferred employee's claim for reimbursement for the loan origination fee he paid for the buyer of his former residence. The claimant contended that: (1) information that he had indicated that the fee was reimbursable; (2) his real estate agent indicated that it was not unusual for sellers to pay this fee; and (3) he had to pay the fee to close the sale. GAO held that the: (1) buyer customarily paid this fee in the claimant's former residential area; and (2) claimant failed to provide any information to rebut that determination. Accordingly, the claim was denied.