Below is a recent news release from the Independent Home Inspectors
of North American (by permission).
The April Photo of the Month has been posted to the web site:
http://www.independentinspectors.org/inspection-photos-of-month/photo78-april07.html
PR Update:
On a Google search for “home inspectors” done everyday between 3/18 and 3/28 http://www.independentinspectors.org/ came up at #6, #7 or #8. It has moved up an average of at least 2 positions since last month and is the best ranking for IHINA since its inception.
Legislation:
A few weeks ago I emailed every MO state representative the following letter (I have since received a dozen personal replies from the legislators thanking me for the helpful information.) If your state or province has any pending home inspection legislation, feel free to use the letter as a template to send to your state / province legislators.
Dear Legislator,
It is my understanding that House Bill, HB 978, pertaining to home inspections / inspectors will be going to committee soon and then on for a hearing. If the ultimate goal of this legislation is to protect consumers in your state, then I believe you should have some information pertinent to one of the issues adversely affecting the home buying consumer. That issue concerns how most home inspectors obtain their client leads or referrals.
Massachusetts to date is the only state that recognizes the inherent or potential conflict of interest when the real estate agent selling a property also recommends the home inspector to the prospective buyer. When the MA home inspector licensing law was passed in 2001, the MA real estate licensing law was amended to prohibit selling agents from directly referring the home inspector. http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/112-87yy.5.htm
That law has been extremely successful in MA. Marginal home inspectors and those who catered more to the referring agent than to their home buying client, are no longer in business.
I would hope before any final consideration is given to House Bill 978, that the information on the Independent Home Inspectors of North America web site http://www.independentinspectors.org/ be reviewed and in particular the legal cases involving agent referred home inspectors.
The best consumer protection for the home buying consumer is to insure that home inspectors work strictly in the best interest of their client, the potential home buyer. Preventing selling real estate agents from being involved in the home inspector selection process is the most effective way of doing this.
If you require any additional information or resource to help you in this matter, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Dennis Robitaille
Director
Independent Home Inspectors of North America (800-640-2253)
(Below is one of the responses)
Dear Dennis:
Thanks for bringing HB978 to my attention. I checked this bill on the House website and I see that it has not been assigned to a committee. At this point in the year, if a bill is not yet out of committee, it is essentially “dead.” If it is not assigned to a committee, it goes nowhere. That being said, I believe you made a good case for your point of view on HB978. Home Inspectors need to be independent of realtors.
Sincerely,
*Therese Sander, Representative. *
District 22
State Capitol, Room 404A
201 West Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, Missouri 65101-6806
573-751-6566
Liane.Kuhn@house.mo.gov