I’m curious to know what others expect or require as to when payment for your inspection services is rendered? Is there an industry standard? I assume it probably varies from region to region.
I for one expect payment at the time the inspection is done, or clients may opt to pay at closing for an additional fee. I was taught to expect the payment at time of services, but am continuously running into clients that ask to pay later, aren’t even at the inspection, or opt to pay at closing.
Any insight from others would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
99.9 tenths percent of us receive payment at the start of the inspection. If for some reason the client “left their checkbook at home” we wait until we receive payment before, and I repeat before we release the report.
What happens if due to your report they decided not to buy the house? Some clients think….Since I’m not going to buy the house….Why should I pay for it?
At this time there is another InterNachi inspector lamenting the fact that he got stiffed on yet another inspection.
For some reason he chose to let the client have the report before the client paid for the report.
Other inspectors have agreed to “wait for closing” to find that the client did not go through with the purchase!
So… They are not going to buy the house why in the heck should they pay you!
Most inspectors “know what they are worth” and charge and and get paid accordingly!
Just have a strict payment policy: Payment is due at the inspection. No report will be delivered unless payment is received.
As others have noted on other threads, you can’t take delivery of a TV at Best Buy unless you pay for it. The same is true with your inspection report. That simple!
I offer different payment methods for their convenience - check, CC’s in person or online, PayPal. If the client is not prepared to pay me, why would I want his business?..
This is the only industry I have ever worked in where I get paid BEFORE I do the work. One of the main reasons why I get paid before I do the work is because we home inspectors are not licensed in California. Thus, my various insurance policies really don’t like the work that I do. So my Life, AD&D, E&O, GL, and health all require proof that I am actually authorized to be on someone else’s property doing work that is dangerous. That proof comes via a service agreement that must be signed before I do the work, and the service agreement requires that the fee be paid in advance of the work. Thus, if something happens to me during the inspection, I have all the insurance I need and proof that I was authorized to be on someone else’s property is the signed service agreement and the paid fee.
Plus, if you fall off the roof, or get attacked by the homeowner’s Rottweiler, or get electrocuted and need to go the emergency room or the morgue, then you’ve already been paid!
Thank you to the ones who gave me some friendly honest advice, I greatly appreciate it. I am new to the profession and am learning everyday, I will join the organization asap.
I’m strictly payment on the day of the inspection. I collect at the end with no issues. After they’ve been with me for hours they have a full understanding of their new home and they’ve seen the detail I go through in the inspection.
I’ll ask how they want to pay - cash, check it credit card? Boom they make payment on the spot with no fuss. I also make sure when they schedule about payment (cash, check it cc) and its due at the inspection.
For those not attending I send an invoice through Square.com to their email. They follow the instructions and make payment online with credit card. I do not release the report until payment is completed.
When I use to take payment at closing I found it was normally because the person didn’t have the cash and was stretching it out. If the deal fell through then it was a struggle to get paid. Most would say they had to get the earnest refunded before they’d pay me…boo
Credit card helps those that might not have the cash. I also provide a receipt to the agent and client in case the seller was paying some of the buyers closing costs. They submit my receipt to closing company. And they settle the fees at closing.
