Escrow Agency Requests

Agencies can use the login link below to request an escrow estimate or final bill. Otherwise, your agency can register an account for future requests.

Request an Escrow Estimate or Final Bill

Use your escrow agency username and password to log in. In case you don't remember your password, select "Forgot Password" on the Log In page to reset your password.

Note: Step-by-step instructions are in the Agent Guide on this page.

Request a Login for Your Agency

Request a new agency registration or update existing agency information:

After we process your request, we will email you a company username and a temporary password. Once logged in, you can request an escrow estimate or a final bill.

If you have questions, call (206) 684-3075.

Escrow Utility Services Portal Agent Guide

Contents:

• Overview
• Agent Guide Objectives
• Accessing the Escrow Utility Services Portal
• Log In to Escrow Utility Services Portal
• Agency Administrator instructions
  • Edit an existing Agent
  • Deactivate or Reactivate an existing Agent
  • Adding New Agents
  • Update Administrator Process
• Escrow Home Pages
• Request an estimate
• Request a closing bill
• Assistance Instructions

Overview

In early 2021, Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light are replaced the Escrow Portal with a new Escrow Utility Services Portal (EUSP) to improve the security and workflow management. Features of the new portal include:

• Escrow agents will have individual agent IDs and passwords
• Agents can reset their own passwords
• Escrow agencies can manage their agents’ access to the portal

Agent guide objectives

The objective of the Escrow Utility Services Portal (EUSP) agent guide is to provide an overview of what will be available to Escrow Agents and how the system can be utilized.

Using this guide, all agents will be able to:

• Understand how to access the Escrow Portal
• Understand how to re-set their individual password
• Understand how to submit a Request for an Estimate or Request a Closing Bill
• Understand the process to contact Seattle Public Utilities or Seattle City Light with
  questions regarding the EUSP

Accessing the Escrow Utility Services Portal

1. The URL for the Escrow Utility Services Portal (Administrators and Agents may want to bookmark this page):
   escrow.seattle.gov
2. An Escrow agent may also access the portal by clicking the For Escrow Agents link on the non-logged in page of the Utility Customer Self-Service Portal at the following URL:
   myutilities.seattle.gov/eportal

Log In to Escrow Utility Services Portal

1. Go to the login page from either of the methods above.
2. Agent access will have been granted by the Escrow Agency’s Administrator. See Adding New Agents section of this document for instructions for adding an agent.
3. The Username will always be the agent’s email address and their password must meet the following requirements: Password must be 8 to 20 characters and contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one number and one special character, and cannot contain the first, last, or user name of the user. The ”." (period) character is not allowed.
4. Enter credentials to login.
5. If any agent or administrator forgets their password or wants to re-set it, they can click Forgot Password below the Login button. When Forgot Password is clicked a screen will appear asking for Username. This will always be the agent’s email address. After entering the email address click Submit.
6. The agent will be sent an email with a link to re-set their password. Note: the link will expire in 24 hours. If the agent has not used the link before it expires the agent would click Forgot Password again to be sent a new link. If the email is not received the agent should check their spam/junk folder.
7. When the agent clicks the Reset Password link in the email the page below will open in the browser. The agent will enter their new password and then re-enter to confirm the new password then click Submit.
8. The login page will display, and the agent will enter their Username and password to access the Escrow Utility Services Portal.

Agency Administrator instructions

Existing agencies having privileges to create and maintain agents for their agency. New agencies requesting access to the EUSP will submit the New Agency Request form and identify their administrator via this form. Administrators are able to add new agents, modify some agent information, and deactivate or re-activate agents. This section of the document will outline those functions.

Begin by logging in to the EUSP using your credentials. As an administrator the screen displayed will differ from an agent’s screen. The Administrator will be taken to the Admin Home screen upon login. The page will display Admin Home on the left side of the navigation bar. The page will display your agency name and have a tabs showing the Active and Inactive agents for that agency.

(EUSP home page screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)

Edit an existing Agent

1. To edit information for an existing agent click Edit in the CHANGE column in the row
   corresponding to their name. (Edit screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
2. The Update Agent’s Profile page will display. The following fields can be updated:
   1. First Name
   2. Last Name
   3. Mobile Phone
3. The Username/Email cannot be changed. If the users email address changes, a new profile would need to be created.
4. Once the information has been changed click Update. An email will be sent to the agent informing them their profile has been updated. (Update screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)

Deactivate or Reactivate an existing Agent

1. For an Agent who has left your agency or will no longer need to submit requests, click on Deactive in the CHANGE column in the row corresponding to their name. (Deactivate screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
2. A message will display asking “Are you sure you want to deactivate this user?" Click Yes to deactivate the agent. They will no longer be able to log into the EUSP.
3. If you later need to reactive this agent you will need to click on the INACTIVE tab to locate the agent. Navigate to the list of inactive agentss, find the agent you wish to activate. Click Activate in the CHANGE column corresponding to their name. (Reactivate screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
4. The agent’s information will be removed from the INACTIVE tab and can now be found on the list of ACTIVE agents.

Adding new Agents

As new agents join your company they will need to be added to the EUSP. Only the agency Administrator can add new agents. The Username cannot be duplicated between agents. Each agent must have a unique Username which will be their email address. If a duplicate Username/Email is entered an error message will display and not allow you to proceed.
Note: If an agent or administrator used their work email to register for the Utility Customer Self Service portal to manage their own City of Seattle utility accounts you will receive this error as well. The secure system does not allow for the same email address to be in the database more
than once. The user would need to change the email address associated to their Customer Self Service portal account.

1. The Administrator logs into the EUSP. From the Admin Home page the Administrator clicks Add User. (Add user screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
2. The New User Registration form will open. Populate the fields on the form. All fields are required with the exception of Mobile Phone. Remember the Username must be the agent’s email address and cannot already exist in the system. You will receive an error message if the username/email already exists.
3. Once the information is entered click Register. The new agent will be sent an email to set their own password. The email will contain a button stating Reset Password, the agent will click this to perform the task. These instructions were included in the Log In to Escrow Utility Service Portal section of this document.
4. When the newly added agent clicks the Reset Password button a new tab will open in their browser where they will set their password. The guidelines for the password criteria are shown on the page.
5. The agent will set their New Password, Confirm New Password by re-typing it and click Submit.
6. The EUSP login page will open where they will enter the Username/password to log in.
7. The agent will receive an email stating their password has successfully been reset.

Update Administrator process

If your existing Administrator leaves or a new one is assigned an administrator account will need to be established if the account was set up using the departing administrator’s personal email account. If a global or shared email was used the new administrator can click Forgot Password on the login page and change the password. If a new administrator account is needed an Update Agency Administrator form will need to submitted. The City of Seattle will set up a new profile for the Administrator to provide access.

When a new Administrator is created the following will occur:

1. When the Administrator is created in the City of Seattle access system an email will be sent to the email address provided to activate the account.
2. The Administrator would click the Activate Your Account button in the email.
3. A new tab will open in the browser displaying the following page. The.Administrator will click the Continue button.
4. The Login page will open. The Administrator must set their own secure password. In order to do this they would click Forgot Password below the login button. The Forgot Password? page will display. The Username (email address of new Administrator) is entered on the form and the Submit button clicked.
5. The Administrator will receive an email with a button which states Reset Password. They would click this button and the Reset Password form will open in their browser. They will enter a password of their choosing that follows the guidelines outlined and then re-enter it to confirm. Click Submit.
6. The login page will then open and the Administrator will use the new username and password to log in.

Escrow Home Pages

The Escrow Utility Services Portal home page for an agent will differ slightly from the administrator’s home page.

1. The Escrow Agent or Escrow Agency Admin will log into the Escrow Portal.
2. For the Escrow Agency Administrator, the Admin Home page will display a Welcome page upon login. This page will have a tab displaying Active User and Inactive Users for their agency. They will also have a tab entitled Admin Home which will display open requests submitted under this username. An administrator also has access to the same functionality as an agent. If the administrator clicks on Agent Home they will see a list of all the requests they submitted that are open. The administrator may also click on Request an Estimate or Request a Closing Bill to submit requests. (Admin home page screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
3. Agents will see the Agent Home page upon login. This page displays all open requests submitted by the agent who logged in. If the agent has no open requests the page will state “There are currently no open requests at this time.” (Open requests screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
4. Both an Agent and an Admin will have tabs at the top of the page to submit requests. Click on the appropriate tab to initiate a request. (Request options screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)

Request an estimate

An Agent or Agency Admin can log into the Escrow Portal and Request an Estimate.

1. Select Property Type. This determines what information will be used to locate a premise in the billing system. (Request estimate screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
2. Type in the address. This field has a predictive search feature and the system will begin looking for address matches in the City of Seattle billing system. If any are found a selectable list will display. (Adress search screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
3. Select it from the drop down list and then click Add. Tips are provided to assist in the search If the escrow agency has a utility bill for the customer the exact service address, not mailing address, as shown on the bill should be used.
   Note: If the address cannot be located the agent would not be able to proceed with the request and is instructed to call the Contact Center (206) 684-3000 to locate the service address. If the parcel number is available this can be used by the Contact Center to locate the premise in the billing system.
4. Adding the address to move to Seller Validation step. The EUSP will validate that the seller last name matches the information in the City of Seattle Billing system. In the case of a commercial customer the validation will be based on the FULL business name in the billing system. Type in the last name of the seller and click “Validate”.
5. If the name entered does not match the billing system will display a warning message. (Validation screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
6. Click "Proceed with Mismatch?" if available. The page will display a “Not Validated” box in red on the page. The information will be forwarded to the appropriate City of Seattle Escrow group to complete the estimate request. (Not validated screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
7. In the next step, Property Information, all questions must be answered or you will not be allowed to proceed. If the answer to Rental? is Yes, another question will display. (Property information screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
8. Fill in the Contact Information beginning with Escrow Agent information. The Escrow Agent Name and Escrow Agency Name will auto-populate based on your profile information. The Escrow Case Number is the agencies internal case number and not related to the City of Seattle systems.
9. The seller forwarding information should be the address where the final bill should be sent. This is also a predictive search in which the EUSP is checking a 3rd party software for valid mailing addresses since this address may or may not existing in the City of Seattle billing system. If the seller address is a condominium or apartment be sure to enter the Apt or Unit number. As the address is typed, possible matches display in a box below the address. When you see the exact match select the address by clicking on it.
10. Enter the Buyer information. These fields are required. The address will perform a predictive search. As the agent types the system will display addresses that match what has been typed. To select the correct address click on the address in the dropdown. The remaining address fields will populated based on that selection. The agent would then enter the 10 digit telephone number. (Buyer information screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
11. Enter Closing date.To request an estimate the date cannot be in the past and can be no more than 60 days in the future. Click the calendar icon or the date field and a calendar will display. The agent may also type in the date but must use the format as displayed.
12. Click Next and the entered information will be sent to the City of Seattle billing system for processing. Once complete a summary page of the entries made will display including calculations of estimated and outstanding charges per relevant utility (SCL vs SPU or Both). There will be a message that the per diem amount quoted is valid for 30 days from closing date. The utility billing account number is also included, please reference this account number for any payments remitted. The request will breakdown the estimation by account and display details.
13. If the request has been found to not meet system automation requirements, the request will be submitted but will be manually completed and sent to the requesting agency following the existing process. Messaging will display at the bottom of the page if the estimate will be manually processed. (Manually processed screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
14. If you do not wish to have the estimate for any of the services, click Back and exit the process. Doing so means that no request will be sent to either utility for an estimate. You may also de-select one or more of the services prior to clicking Submit. Click on the check mark in the blue box to remove the estimate and that service would not be included in the estimate sent. You may print the page by clicking Print in the upper right corner. Note: To save any webpage as a PDF, you will need to access the browser's Print menu and select
    "Save as PDF" or "Print to PDF" for your printing destination.
15. Clicks Submit and the ESTIMATE SUMMARY page will appear. The estimate summary is the final step in the process. This includes the same information as shown in the ESTIMATE REVIEW page except the ability to deselect an account from the estimate is not available. You have now completed the request and can click New Request to submit another request for estimate.
16. A confirmation email will be sent to the requesting Escrow Agent.

Request a closing bill

1. As an Escrow Agent or Admin, log into the Escrow Portal.
2. Click Request A Closing Bill. (Closing bill screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
3. Request a Final Closing Bill form will display. Please note, only step 1 is enabled. The form will not let you proceed to the next section until the current one is complete. (Final bill screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
4. First select the Property Type, Residential or Commercial/Multi-unit sold to a single buyer. Once the property type is select the next section of the form, Address, is enabled. (Property type screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
5. The agent will begin typing the address. A predictive search takes place against service addresses in the City of Seattle billing system. As the agent begins typing a list of accounts will display under the address box showing addresses that match what has been typed.
6. The agent selects the address from the list of accounts. The address must be in the billing system to proceed. If no address is located the agent will not be able to submit a request and will need to provide the address as it is stored in the billing system. The agent can click Address Search Help on the screen for helpful tips.
   Note: For a multi-unit property the address search may find multiple accounts. For the purposes of the EUSP the Agent will only be able to select 1 Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and 1 Seattle City Light (SCL) account. Once submitted the request will be processed manually, and the City of Seattle escrow teams will research and include addition accounts to include in the closing bill. This will be based on parcel ID and owner records.
7. Selects an address from the drop down list and an Add button will be enabled. Click Add and the address will be displayed with the Parcel Number and Utility Accounts located. Under the UTILITY ACCOUNTS column, you will be able to see if the account located was SCL, SPU or both.
   Note: There are locations within the City of Seattle where the SPU and SCL service addresses are different for the same premise. The address is based on meter location.
8. Once the agent has added the address the EUSP will allow them to move to Step 3, Seller Validation. The EUSP will validate that the seller last name matches the information in the City of Seattle Billing system. In the case of a commercial customer the validation will be based on the FULL business name in the billing system. Type in the last name of the seller and click “Validate”. The Validate button will not be enabled until information is entered in the field. (Seller validation screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
9. If the name entered does not match the billing system a message will display.
10. If the agent may click "Proceed with Mismatch?" And be allowed to move forward. The page will display a “Not Validated” box in red on the page. The information will be forwarded to the appropriate City of Seattle Escrow group to complete the closing bill request.
11. Property Information questions are asked in the next section. You must answer all three questions. If Yes to the renting question, another question will display asking if the tenant is moving out, this must also have a response.
12. The Contact Information section will be enabled once the Property Information is complete. First the agent enters the Escrow Agency Information. The Escrow Agency Name will auto-populate. There is a line for the Agent to enter an internal agency Escrow Case number, this field is not required.
13. The Seller Information would then be entered. In the seller name enter the names of all the sellers. This address should be the final bill mailing address of the buyer. The system will perform a predictive search using a 3rd party software that validates mailing address If the address is a condominium or apartment be sure to enter the Apt or Unit number. As the address is typed, possible matches display in a box below the address. When you see the exact match select the address by clicking on it.
14. Enter the Buyer Information. This address should be the mailing address of the buyer. The system will perform a predictive search using a 3rd party software that validates mailing addresses. You can proceed if the address is not validated and there is an alert displayed on the screen if the address entered is not located. Telephone numbers must be ten digits. (Non-standard address screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
15. Once the Buyer and Seller information is entered you will be able to select the Closing date. This date must be no more than 60 days in the past and may not be future dated. The agent will not be able to select a date outside the range via the EUSP. The Next button will not be enabled if any required field is not populated.
16. When the agent clicks Next a check of the City of Seattle billing system will be done to determine if there is an open Closing Bill Request already submitted. If an open Closing Bill Request exists for one or more utilities within the current request, a warning will display in-line with each utility (as applies) advising the agent that a Closing Bill Request exists but the agent will be permitted to continue with submitting their request.
17. The Final Bill Review page will display with the information entered. At the bottom of the page information regarding the accounts included in the is provided. (Final bill review screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
18. After reviewing the information displayed, you can choose to deselect accounts for the final bill by removing the check mark in the box for Include in Final Bill if they prefer not to move forward with completing the request for that account. If you clicks the Back button, before hitting the Submit button they will be returned to the previous step of Contact Information.
19. Click Submit once you have verified the information is correct.
20. The final Summary page will open displaying the information shown on the review page. The utility billing account number is included, please reference this account number for any payments remitted. The agent may print the page by clicking Print in the upper right corner. If the you have another Request a Final Closing Bill request to submit,  click New Request at the bottom of the screen. (Final summary screenshot reference, opens in new tab.)
21. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address on their profile. The email will contain the information shown on the Final Review Page.

Assistance Instructions

1. For general inquiries related to submitted requests or the escrow process please call the appropriate department within the City of Seattle:
   1. Seattle City Light Escrow Department: (206) 684-3075
   2. Seattle Public Utilities Escrow Department: (206) 684-3192
2. If you experience a technical issue with the Escrow Utility Services Portal (EUSP) please contact Seattle Public Utilities Escrow Department at (206) 684-3192. An example of a technical issue would be if you click forgot password, entered your agent name and did not receive the email to re-set your password. This department will troubleshoot the issue and respond to you with a resolution.
3. If your agency’s Administrator needs to be changed, new access will need to be granted if an individual’s email address was used rather than a general agency email. Please follow the instructions in the Update Administrator section of this document.