When a Home Inspector Sells His Clients' Contact Information ...

As far as this thread goes, unless he adds something new to his long list of ethical infractions, I don’t really see any more need to rehash the sins of Nathan Thornberry. You guys can go ahead and trash me and others who dare to bring them to light. I will see you on the other threads.

Again, the question I asked has nothing to do with the law or your company’s compliance with it … but I can see why you would want to argue that point as a distraction to the actual question. I will not be joining you in that debate.

When a Home Inspector Sells His Clients’ Contact Information to a third party, in exchange for services to grow his business — in addition to his clients’ permission, should the inspector disclose to his client (1) the fact that he is getting something of value in exchange for the contact information and (2) that he is being paid a commission when his client purchases from the third party?

Or should these facts be concealed from his client?

These are the questions that are being asked. It’s not about you.

I respect my client’s confidentiality and would never sell or barter their information to benefit myself or my business.

If I ever did engage in any such activity, I would feel morally obligated to fully disclose what information I was peddling and how I might profit through the disclosure of my client’s personal information to others.

As a consumer, I would neither expect or accept anything less than full, prior disclosure. I would widely and publicly castigate any service provider who released my information without first obtaining my express permission beforehand. I personally avoid any service provider whom I believe may not respect the confidentiality of my personal information, regardless of how many trinkets they offer as enticements.

As a consumer, I would intentionally avoid home inspectors who tout these types of schemes.

There is no scheme. The consumer public gladly trades their contact information daily in order to swipe a little card at the grocery store in exchange for lower prices. Each swipe tracks their buying habits so the store can better tailor their shopping experience and allow them even greater saving savings in the future.

I do believe in disclosure, but I let my clients now the benefits and they choose if they want to take advantage of the savings and benefits much like the grocery consumer.

You may not care for the vendor or his services, but there is no scheme going on here .

Hello Jim,

Naw, can’t be me he was referring to for two reasons.

  1. I’m certainly not ignorant and definitely not stupid (there is a difference).
  2. I’ve never turned this Vendor into TREC for anything.

If I recall correctly in other past threads he has made reference to another Texas Inspector that did file an actual complaint against him with TREC, again as I recall but would have to go back and find that reference.

As to the question of this thread Inspectors in Texas have a law/rule regarding this that they must follow. The laws and rules governing Texas Inspectors, and other TREC licensed persons, can be found here Contracts | TREC . The section covering this is 535.220. Professional Conduct and Ethics. There are many parts to this section that can easily apply to your question but the direct section would be this one.

It is very interesting that you have started this thread. Over a week ago I was in a roundtable with other Inspectors regarding the confidentiality laws regarding a completely unrelated use of the clients’ information (unrelated to this Vendor’s wares). Since the rules/laws were not completely clear I did send TREC a Request For Interpretation regarding the client confidentiality rule/law. Their response was very interesting and I have sent you a copy of it.

So as can be seen here in Texas your questions are actually covered by the laws/rules governing licensed Inspectors.

Chuck,

Glad to see another ethical Inspector in Texas. We have plenty but then we have plenty on “The Dark Side” as well. I’m 100% in agreement with you!

Some do some don’t. IMO: Every consumer deserves the right to be informed of any company’s intent to trade their information for profit and to deny permission to do so.

It is most definitely a scheme. If/when it’s done without prior disclosure AND consent of the consumer, I consider it an underhanded scheme.

Let me ask this, as a consumer, why do you think the company wants your information, to lose money?

WTF is the point of your question? They should only ask for the information that they need to perform the service that I have hired them for. No third parties need to be privy to my information. No one loses money.

As a consumer, why do I pay a service provider: Is it for the privilege of having them sell or trade my information? Are they not charging me enough for the service that I have contracted them for to make a profit off of that, or must I be turned into a commodity for trade for them to achieve profit?

If I voluntarily give my information to a company, I am going to assume they are going to use it to make money. I may get some benefit, but they aren’t doing it out of charity.

That is the **** point of my question.

Chuck,

Your point is lost on many but not all of us! It is unfortunate that consumers’ personal information is many times sold without them knowing specifically for what and how many other “Third Party Service Providers” will be given their information.

If you must sell my information to third parties in order to make a profit as a result my hiring you to perform a service for me, then you effectively disqualify yourself from consideration.

As a consumer, I would avoid you and hire someone who’s business is modeled to earn adequate profit from the fees charged to perform inspections, not how they might profit by turning my personal information into a tradeable commodity to be sold, traded or bartered to who knows how many secondary and tertiary users.

Crickets…

chirp !

It’s sad.
Dingleberry is the only NACHI vendor that sells our clients personal info.
His lemmings just don’t get it!!

The sale of a home is public record including the buyers name and address. It is not confidential or private at all. The same “alarms leads” can be obtained through public records which happen without the clients consent. This way the client gives permission & receives a free product.

If a client agrees and gains from it, the inner workings of how the inspector benefits are his/her information.

Fixed for clarity.

Troy … do you tell them that you are selling their information in exchange for products and services and do you tell them that when they buy something from the salesman who calls, you get a commission from that sale?

Please remove the anus photo from the public forum. :shock:

There’s a sentence I didn’t plan on typing today.