These are all very good questions and well worth answering from the creators of the program. I too have questions.
- From the HIA WEB page http://www.hiahelps.org/CURRENT-SPONSORS.html of current sponsors there are none listed. Are there even any funds in the program now to pay for inspections?
- On the HIA How To Apply page (http://www.hiahelps.org/HOW-TO-APPLY.html) you do not provide the forms for people to apply. I expect it is the “Form 990” that is from this page http://www.hiahelps.org/FORM-990.html. Yet on that page this is written “**We are happy to announce this exciting new program has begun in 2011 and the Form 990 for this first year will not be available until 2012.”. The forms for Inspectors to sign up are on that page though. Is this organization even prepared to offer these “Free Inspections” or are you just fishing for Inspectors right now?
- From the Inspector Participation Page (http://www.hiahelps.org/Inspector-participation.html).
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**“*Follow HIA’s *reporting and documentation requirements when conducting inspections and submitting reports.”. And from that same page “**Each inspection service provider referred by HIA generates a full home inspection report, **for presentation to the buyer (or other party for whom the inspection is provided) **and delivery to HIA along with its invoice for payment.”. As well as this statement *"*Adhere to applicable state and local regulations pertaining to the home inspection process." It appears that HIA will act as a “Referral” service and we will only turn to them for payment of the inspection. In that instance the buyer is our client and not HIA. How does HIA plan to handle States such as Texas that have a required and promulgated reporting form and required SOP that is vastly different from INACHI? Will your people be fully cognizant of the Texas Laws and Rules to ensure that report form was properly completed?
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“Produce comprehensive computer-generated reports…”. None of the HI associations mentioned provide a comprehensive SOP to perform an inspection to the depth that is apparently expected to protect these people who can afford a home but not a home inspection and as such follow-on maintenance requirements. Who is going to define “comprehensive”? Will the specific definition be available as a guide to Inspectors to know what is explicitly required so their request for payment is not denied?
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“Pass a national background check.”. What background check service is HIA planning to use? How much are they planning to charge the Inspector for this? How are they going to use the results and why do they require them? Is HIA going to make this requirement even for people who already maintain Federal background checks for other licenses they hold? Are the results of any background check going to be made fully accessible to the Inspector regardless of the results?
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“**Are they located in the service area of the property being inspected?”. Who is defining the service area and what are they? How are the service areas determined (what criteria are used)?
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"Have they been in business for at least 3 years and have completed at* least 300 residential inspections?".* How does HIA plan to verify how many inspections the Inspector has performed for States such as Texas that have strict confidentiality laws? In Texas I can only give HIA the number of inspections and no specific information regarding the client or home.
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*"*Do they have a solid and good reputation in the communities they serve?". How does HIA plan to verify this? Will they only look for publicly available records or information to indicate other than a good and upstanding community member? In other words will an Inspector qualify under the presumption “No news is good news”? Or does HIA have requirements that Inspectors be judged against?
The question was also asked before, and not answered, as to how HIA plans to establish what is a “normal fee” for an inspection in a particular area?