New Law Could Open the Door to Home Inspection Standards
Julia Myers-Bartley
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A new set of standards for home inspection was on the agenda at the statehouse Tuesday as a new bill could open the door to a new set of practices and ethics by home inspectors.
Luke Bell, Director of Government Relations said, “it’s an attempt to put some minimum standards and statues - so when a consumer goes out to hire a home inspector they know they’re going to receive a basic level of service and they know that home inspector is going to have a basic level of requirements.”
Some of those requirements include a passing a national exam to certify knowledge of the industry and new financial guidelines.
Bell indicated that this bill requires Home Inspectors to have at least a minimum level of liability of $10,000 to insure they can cover most of those defects when consumers experience problems in the process.
Home inspectors say in their jobs they can only spot or see defects in the home by sight and should not be held completel accountable.
Michael Greewalt, President of the Kansas Association of Home Inspectors said, “we would like to accept the minimum liability- the problem is we don’t want to be the first one and the only one to be attacked, when nobody else is not required to meet the same standards.”
This bill already approved by the House, now goes to the Senate for review, supporters say it’s a major step forward to protect consumers when a home inspection is needed.
Representative John Grange, one of the Sponsors of the Bill said,
“what the Home Inspection Bill will do for the state will give us the opportunity to bring in a 3rd party to look at a structure and ensure
that any of the items that could be in question and can be noticed up .”
In an industry that has never been regulated in the State of Kansas,
lawmakers say they see this as a way to keep your home as an
asset and not to make it become a liability.
Rep. Grange went on to say that it legitimizes the industry. He said,
"it makes sure the people who are doing the things they say they are doing and inspecting the good service that the amount of money that you’re paying for. "
Under the current law, home inspectors are allowed to limit their
liability at the time of inspection.
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