ASHI Introduces Client Bill of Rights

From choosing a neighborhood to hiring a real estate agent to buying the right home, it’s easy for potential home buyers to feel overwhelmed by all the decisions that go into the home-buying process. Who can one trust and what can he or she expect?

Just as the Founding Fathers of our country created the Bill of Rights to protect our citizens, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) created the Client Bill of Rights to protect home buyers.

“Few things in life come with a guarantee,” said Brion Grant, 2008 president of ASHI. “The ASHI Client Bill of Rights is a commitment that ASHI members make to their clients that they will uphold the highest standards and conduct a thorough, unbiased and honest evaluation of their home. It’s another demonstration of professionalism and ethical commitment so their clients can feel confident about the decision to choose an ASHI Certified Inspector.”

According to Bill Loden, chairman of the ASHI Code of Ethics Committee, the Client Bill of Rights was designed to help the general public and clients of ASHI members better understand how the ASHI Code of Ethics serves them. “It shifts the focus from the inspector to the client,” said Loden. “Our ethics are no longer simply a set of rules that our members strive to follow, they are more a commitment they offer their clients.”

The ASHI Client Bill of Rights was derived from the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. The full bill of rights follows:

ASHI Client Bill of Rights

- To be assured the inspector is objective in his or her reporting and will not knowingly understate or overstate the significance of reported conditions.
- To be assured the inspector’s opinion is based on genuine conviction within the scope of his or her education and experience.
- To be assured the inspector stays current with the industry body of knowledge through continuing education.
- To be assured the inspector will not disclose inspection results or client information without client approval.
- To be assured the inspector has not accepted any form of compensation for recommending contractors, services or products.
- To be assured the inspector will not offer to repair or replace for compensation any component covered by the

ASHI Standards of Practice for one year after the inspection.

- To be assured future referrals to the inspector from real estate agents are not dependent on the inspection findings or the sale of the property.
- To be assured the home inspector has no financial interest in the transaction.
- To be assured the inspector is not receiving compensation for the inspection from any other party.
- To be assured the inspector did not compensate the real estate agent or other party for the referral to the client.

ASHI Certified Inspectors have the experience and technical expertise to help potential buyers better understand the condition of a home before making a purchase.