PAR provides testimony on licensing home inspectors

The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® provided testimony in support of House Bill 1421 (Helm, R-Dauphin), which would license home inspectors, at a House Professional Licensure Committee meeting in the Capitol yesterday.

Currently, home inspectors are not licensed under Pennsylvania law. The Home Inspection Law regulates certain aspects of home inspections and was created to increase professionalism of the home inspection industry by requiring that home inspectors be members of a national home inspection association as defined by the statute.

“Realtors® support licensing home inspectors to better protect consumers,” Mark Mohn, vice chair of PAR’s Legislative Committee, told legislators. “For most people, a home is the single largest and most valuable purchase they will make in their lives. Home inspection details and reporting criteria vary vastly and are not standardized. An inspection conducted by an unprofessional inspector could result in costly repairs and health issues for the unsuspecting homebuyer. This means that although the home inspection report is relied upon heavily in the real estate transaction, if a home inspector fails to report an issue to a homeowner, there is little or no recourse available.”

PAR considers the home inspection critical in today’s housing market and it should be regulated by the state. Currently, 39 other states require home inspectors to be licensed. This legislation will set statewide standards for the profession of home inspecting and standards for the home inspection report. Licensing home inspectors will give them more credibility and will establish vital criteria for home inspections.

Two consumers addressed their support of the bill during the hearing and highlighted issues they experienced with mold in homes they had purchased. Home inspectors spoke against portions of the bill which would require them to identify mold in their inspection report and that they would have a two-year liability period following the home inspection.

The legislation would require license applicants to: have a high school diploma or equivalent, complete a bureau-approved training program, pass a bureau-approved examination, obtain liability insurance of $500,000 per occurrence and deductible of not more than $2,500 and pay a fee. Existing practitioners will be grandfathered. Renewal requires 16 hours of continuing education.

PAR believes these requirements are reasonable and would further protect future homebuyers and sellers.

*Editor’s note: This article was updated on Sept. 26 to reflect current status of home inspection associations.