Nick has us covered pretty well I’d say.
Dan,
I’m probably missing something. How do they tell you that they are not satisfied with the inspection report if they haven’t received it yet?
Is there a new junk 90 day warranty coming out? :roll:
Jay …
We summarize at the end of the inspection . If they wanta question something … Thats when they do it.
They have a new 5 year roof warranty coming out.
No I don’t use any of their products.
Did the price of roofing tar and roofing cement go down?
You guys think what you want I do very well and offer a 200 percent guarantee. Offering to refund AND pay for a inspector of their choice says much more about your confidence than just offering a refund if they are not happy with your performance. Remember though this is just a small piece of the pie when it comes to client care. If you guys would like to hear from experts who are doing well in our industry check every Saturday on Facebook. I’ll be posting date topic and time for our online go to meeting audio discussions. We just had the first one last week and it was very informative.
For your 100% /200% guarantee do you provide that guarantee without any time limit attached? In simpler terms do you offer that guarantee for an indefinite time period AFTER you issue the report? For your clients to take advantage of your guarantee do you force the client to sign a waiver that they will never bother you again effectively signing away their rights to come after you later if you did screw up the inspection?
I don’t know about Billy, BUT logic says IF you refund their fee AND pay for another INSPECTOR, any sane person would REQUIRE a release.
To do otherwise would be stupid. If they’re NOT happy you want them GONE and all ties to you SEVERED.
And how many Inspectors fully disclose all of the terms of those 100% / 200% guarantees before the client decides to use their services, to include that they will have to sign a release to collect on it? I would fully expect few to none! As a result the client is still taking a chance on the services of that Inspector since they THINK the guarantee is some great testimony to the Inspector’s abilities when it is really nothing more than a CYA for the Inspector if the client does not fully understand what they are about to sign, and most likely did not even know they were going to have to sign the release.
The 100% / 200% guarantees are nothing more than a gimmick to draw consumers to the Inspector. The guarantee does not scream that the Inspector is incompetent, although it is a good deal for the incompetent Inspector. However consumers should be aware of what these guarantees really are and what they really mean if they attempt to collect on it.
Now if an Inspector really was concerned of the happiness of their client with the Inspector’s services then those 100% / 200% guarantees would be made fully available, without any catch or reason other than the client is dissatisfied, and should be made available for an indefinite period after the inspection report is issued. I’ve only seen one Inspector who has advertised their satisfaction guarantee that way.
ES …
Me thinks you are overthinking this. IF they did NOT like / want the 1st inspection (yours) AND have you REFUND their FEE, then have YOU pay for the INSPECTOR of THEIR choice to DO a 2nd inspection … YOU are out of it.
NOW you’ve refunded them their $$$$$ / PAID for another inspector of THEIR choosing NOBODY but a complete idiot WOULD still stay tied to them.
THEY are NO longer depending on YOUR skills or EXPERTISE or YOUR report, but another inspectors. YOU got NO connection at ALL to them.
CAN’t get much SIMPLER than that.
It’s not over thinking it at all but just identifying the “Guarantee” for what it is and what consumers (many) don’t understand or are not told what it is. If the consumer is made aware of all details of a “Guarantee”, or any other dealing they undertake, before they select the Inspector they can make an informed decision without surprises later. If they know ALL of the details and still choose it then it’s on them in the end.
Also these guarantees are in almost every case not extended beyond delivery of the report. Many require the consumer to make up their mind on site if they are dissatisfied without ever seeing the report. Many others require it before the report is released. These are typical “Tail Light Guarantees”! A true guarantee would be extended beyond the report delivery after all that is the product you are selling and not just the inspection and verbal briefing.
I know of a few inspectors that offer a 90 day guarantee that also have very similar wording as written below in their PIA. I wonder how that would pan out in court?
It is understood and agreed that INSPECTOR offers NO representation, warranty or guarantee of the condition of the property or its systems or components, or future life of systems, components and items inspected. INSPECTOR assumes NO liability for the cost of repair or replacement of unreported defects or deficiencies either current or arising in the future. CLIENT acknowledges that INSPECTOR is not an insurer or guarantor of the inspected items and shall not be construed as insuring against any deficiencies not included in the report.
Bold and underline is a big part of what these gimmicks are about. Many of those that offer them I would expect look at it as a way to cover themselves if they miss something they should have caught.
To answer your original question obviously I’m not an Attorney but if so I would have a field day with this situation. This combination of the wording and the 90 day gimmicks screams “Well I do, well I don’t, well maybe?”. This would be a good enough reason on its own to try invalidating an entire PIA contract. It’s very inconsistent and consistency in all we do is what helps the consumer and us both stay out of trouble!
Guilty by Contradiction.
ES and Others …
Somehow we seem to feel its OUR obligation OR a Warranty’s to shield home buyers from every thing that could break OR go bad. Its not …
I sold insurance in college for John Hancock, Farmers, etc AND after college built homes for a 6,000 house a year builder WITH a 1 year warranty.
There was NEVER a hospitalization policy, property insurance policy, car insurance policy, builders warranty, etc that COVERS everything that can go wrong. They are just designed to cut down on your risks. Thats it / Nothing more … Nothing less.
To act like a Guarantee OR Warranty that comes with limitations is screwing the consumer is unrealistic and very naive. I’m sorry but if the consumer did NOT read the paperwork on ANY thing that has a warranty AND later wants to complain **“I DID NOT KNOW” … **My sympathy is gone.
PS … Almost any warranty OR guarantee gives them more that they had to start.
Dan,
Do you openly advertise a 100% / 200% guarantee? If so do you provide the consumer a complete description of this guarantee, its terms and requirements, before they select you as their Inspector? If they accept your warranty terms, with full knowledge of what they are, before they select your services then you are absolutely correct. However if they are selecting your service, possibly related to that guarantee as a part of their decision, and they have no idea that it has all the limitations, exclusions, etc., etc., then the guarantee is nothing more than a “Tail Light Guarantee” intended to draw their business in.
You appear to be misinterpreting what I am saying. This has nothing to do with providing a warranty for a home, selling insurance, nor is it about providing a warranty or guarantee that has limitations. If you read my posts you can see it is about guarantees that do not provide the consumer with all details and are nothing more than marketing gimmicks to draw their business.
I do offer a 100% Guarantee. Every drop of info is on my web site. There it is Mr/Ms Buyer … Nothing less / nothing more. Really Simple
Why does anyone go for the 200% thing. What does that even mean? Is that a better inspection than the 100%?
Justin Schmitz
www.Ridgebrookinspections.com
419-945-6562
Not taking sides or anything here but the way I read what you posted Dan, just doesn’t make sense.
How can you know if your satisfied with a report you have not yet received?