PA Home Inspectors Licensing/in /by

 

 

 

 

 

Licensing Update as of 1/12/2019
A Pennsylvania home inspector licensing bill is being presented again in this 2019-2020 legislative session. A proposal is being sent to PA House of Representative Members this week from the bills primary sponsors to request additional sponsorship. An actual copy of the bill will be ready for review in a couple weeks. PHIC has been very active in meeting with the bills primary sponsors and “arm-twisting” to help craft a licensing law that home inspectors can live with. There have been significant changes made to the bill over the past month that favor home inspectors.
A licensing bill like this might have an up-hill battle in Harrisburg to become law. Governor Wolfe is opposed to more licensing of small businesses due to the theory that it will put excess regulations on small businesses and will slow down economic growth in the state. Because of the possible delay or tabling of the licensing bill, the primary sponsors, Bill Kortz and Sue Helm, are proposing to add verbiage to the existing home inspection law, section 7508(a), to require home inspectors to disclose visible evidence of mold.
7508(a) Required contents…A home inspection report must be in writing and shall include:
(4) A disclosure of the visible evidence of the presence of interior mold, mildew or fungi present at the time of inspection and the location of the visible evidence along with advice to obtain a professional evaluation. (PHIC was instrumental in having the words mildew or fungi removed)
Here is a list of bullet points that will be sent to PA House of Representative members soliciting additional sponsorship.
House Professional Licensure Committee
2019-2020 Legislative Session
Rep. Harry Readshaw, Chairman
Marlene Wilson, Esq., Executive Director
Home Inspectors (Helm/Kortz)
Updated 01-09-2019
  1. Last session the bill had NO OPPOSITION from interest groups.
  1. Last session positions: The Pennsylvania Home Inspector Coalition supports the bill. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors support the bill. The Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Association support the bill. The Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers support the bill. The Dept. of State did not consider this language last session because the proposal was under Dept. of Labor and Industry.
  1. Establishes licensure for home inspectors under the Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists under the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.
  1. Two home inspectors will be added to the board.
  1. Qualifications for licensure: good moral character, 18 years of age, high school diploma or equivalent or equivalent life or occupational experience, board approved training course of 120 hours class (6 must be in the area of modular and manufactured homes) and 75 mentored inspections, board approved exam and no felony drug convictions for past 5 years unless the applicant can prove rehabilitation. If the applicant proves rehabilitation, the board may issue a probationary license for the remainder of the 5 years.
  1. All fees, including licensure fees are determined by the board by regulation.
  1. Grandfather clause to obtain license without the class or exam if the person practiced for 5 years prior to effective date or performed 100 inspections and passed an exam.
  1. License renewal requires 32 CE credits every biennial renewal, 3 must be in the area of modular and manufactured homes.
  1. Licensure by reciprocity and endorsement are available.
  1. Liability insurance is required for $250,000 per occurrence, $500,000 aggregate with $15,000 deductible. Insurance must be maintained for 2 years after the latest home inspection report (but is being changed to 1 year).
  1. Statute of limitations is set at 1 year from the date of the report, not from when the claim is discovered.
  1. Title protection is included for “L.H.I.” and “Licensed Home Inspector” or “Home Inspector”.
  1. Immediate threats to health or safety requires the home inspector to notify the owner and occupants of the property, if occupied, at the conclusion of the home inspection. Posting a notice on the door is sufficient notice.
  1. Home inspection reports must include information on visible evidence of interior mold and the home inspector must advise the client to obtain a professional evaluation. Reporting of mildew and fungi were removed from the language.
  1. A home inspector may not give cost estimates for suggested repairs.
  1. The owner, upon request, may receive a copy of the home inspection report.
  1. The home inspector is not liable for reliance on the home inspection report by anyone other than the client.
  1. The bill also provides for practice protection.
Please forward a copy of this update to your ASHI chapter.
Sincerely,
Dave Glick
Keystone ASHI
The Home Inspector Inc.
717-926-1206
Keystone ASHI | PO Box 15052, Reading, PA 19612