If you are choosing your own home inspector, or working with a real estate agent to select one, you should be aware of a new law in Pennsylvania regarding home inspections. Act 114 of 2000, the Residential Real Estate Transfers Law, which went into effect December 20, 2001, has made the process of home inspection more reliable. This new law ensures a certain level of professionalism in the work performed by home inspectors. Act 114 provides guidelines and requirements to regulate the performance of home inspectors within Pennsylvania.
Among some of the new law’s highlights are:
- Home inspectors are required to be a full member in good standing of a national, not-for-profit home inspection association or must be supervised by someone who is.
- Members must comply with a code of conduct and attend continuing professional education classes as an ongoing condition of membership.
- Home inspectors are prohibited from performing repairs on the same house he or she inspected within the preceding 12 months.
- The party selling the property that is the subject of the inspection has the right to receive a free copy of the report upon request.
- Home inspectors must maintain insurance against errors and omissions and general liability coverage.
- A violation of this new law amounts to a violation of Pennsylvania’s Consumer Protection Law.
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