Code of Ethics - Ash Home Inspection

I abide by Washington State Legislature Home Inspector-Standards of Practice Ethics

WA State WAC 308-408C-020 Ethics—Statement of purpose.

In order to ensure the integrity and high standard of skill and practice in the home inspection profession, the following rules of conduct and ethics shall be binding upon the inspector.

The home inspector must:

(1) Provide home inspection services that conform to the Washington state home inspectors’ SOP.

(2) Provide full written disclosure, to the home inspector’s client, of any business, familial, or financial relationships or other conflicts of interest between the home inspector and any other party to the transaction. Written disclosure is required prior to the client’s signing of the pre-inspection agreement. Disclosure is required to ensure the consumer’s right to freely pick a home inspector of the buyer’s or seller’s choice and prevent collusion between the home inspector and the parties to the transaction. Parties may include, but are not limited to, buyers, sellers, appraisers, real estate licensees, mortgage representatives, title companies, vendors and service contractors.

(3) Act as an unbiased party and discharge his or her duties with integrity and fidelity to the client.

(4) Perform services and express opinions based on genuine conviction and only within the inspector’s area of education, training, or expertise.

(5) Not conduct a home inspection or prepare a home inspection report that knowingly minimizes, compromises or attempts to balance information about defects for the purpose of garnering future referrals.

(6) Not provide services that constitute the unauthorized practice of any profession that requires a special license when the inspector does not hold that license.

(7) Not accept compensation for a home inspection from more than one party without written disclosure to the inspector’s client(s).

(8) Not for one year after completion of the inspection repair, replace, or upgrade for compensation components or systems on any building inspected – This section applies to the inspector’s firm and other employees or principals of that firm or affiliated firms.

(9) Not offer an inducement to any individual or entity by providing compensation or reward in exchange for performing an inspection.

(10) Not disclose information contained in the inspection report without client approval or as required by law. However, at their discretion inspectors may disclose when practical observed safety or health hazards to occupants or others that are exposed to such hazards.

(11) Not advertise previous experience in an associated trade as experience in the home inspection profession. An inspector’s advertised inspection experience will reflect only the inspector’s experience as a home inspector and inspectors shall not advertise, market or promote their home inspection services or qualifications in a fraudulent, false, deceptive or misleading manner.

(12) Not accept a home inspection referral or perform a home inspection when assignment of the inspection is contingent upon the inspector reporting predetermined conditions.

InterNACHI’s Code of Ethics

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI®) promotes a high standard of professionalism, business ethics, and inspection procedures. InterNACHI® members subscribe to the following Code of Ethics in the course of their business.

Duty to the Public
1. The InterNACHI® member shall abide by the Code of Ethics and substantially follow the InterNACHI® Standards of Practice.
2. The InterNACHI® member shall not engage in any practices that could be damaging to the public or bring discredit to the home inspection industry.
3. The InterNACHI® member shall be fair, honest and impartial, and act in good faith in dealing with the public.
4. The InterNACHI® member shall not discriminate in any business activities on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, familial status, sexual orientation, or handicap, and shall comply with all federal, state and local laws concerning discrimination.
5. The InterNACHI® member shall be truthful regarding the member’s services and qualifications.
6. The InterNACHI® member shall not:
  1. have any disclosed or undisclosed conflict of interest with the client;
  2. accept or offer any disclosed or undisclosed commissions, rebates, profits, or other benefit from or to real estate agents, brokers, or any third parties having financial interest in the sale of the property; or
  3. offer or provide any disclosed or undisclosed financial compensation directly or indirectly to any real estate agent, real estate broker, or real estate company for referrals or for inclusion on lists of preferred and/or affiliated inspectors or inspection companies.
7. The InterNACHI® member shall not release any information about the inspection or the client to a third party unless doing so is necessary to protect the safety of others, to comply with a law or statute, or both of the following conditions are met:
  1. the client has been made explicitly aware of what information will be released, to whom, and for what purpose, and;
  2. the client has provided explicit, prior written consent for the release of their information.
8. The InterNACHI® member shall always act in the interests of the client unless doing so violates a law, statute, or this Code of Ethics.
9. The InterNACHI® member shall use a written contract that specifies the services to be performed, limitations of services, and fees.
10. The InterNACHI® member shall comply with all government rules and licensing requirements of the jurisdiction where the member conducts business.
11. The InterNACHI® member shall not perform or offer to perform, for an additional fee, any repairs or associated services to the structure for which the member or member’s company has prepared a home inspection report for a period of 12 months. This provision shall not include services to components and/or systems that are not included in the InterNACHI® Standards of Practice.
Duty to Continue Education
1. The InterNACHI® member who has earned the Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)® designation shall comply with InterNACHI’s current Continuing Education requirements.
2. The InterNACHI® member who has earned the Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)® designation shall pass InterNACHI’s Online Inspector Exam once every three years.
Duty to the Profession and to InterNACHI®
1. The InterNACHI® member shall strive to improve the home inspection industry by sharing the member’s lessons and/or experiences for the benefit of all. This does not preclude the member from copyrighting or marketing the member’s expertise to other Inspectors or the public in any manner permitted by law.
2. The InterNACHI® member shall assist the InterNACHI leadership in disseminating and publicizing the benefits of InterNACHI membership.
3. The InterNACHI® member shall not engage in any act or practice that could be deemed damaging, seditious or destructive to InterNACHI®, fellow InterNACHI® members, InterNACHI® employees, leadership or directors. Accusations of a member acting or deemed in violation of such rules shall trigger a review by the Ethics Committee for possible sanctions and/or expulsion from InterNACHI®.
4. The InterNACHI® member shall abide by InterNACHI’s current membership requirements.
5. The InterNACHI® member shall abide by InterNACHI’s current message board rules.