I am pleased to report that the State of Tennessee is finally requiring home inspectors to be licensed! As a Realtor and a buyer's agent, I have always used home inspectors that were competent, knowledgeable, qualified, and always went above and beyond the call of duty in inspecting homes. However, as a seller's agent, there were many times that the buyer of my seller's home used an inspector that had not been so carefully selected. Many of these inspectors were just out for a quick dollar, and often made the home inspection process much more difficult (for both buyer and seller) than it needed to be.
No longer will anyone be able to hang up a shingle and call themselves a home inspector! Now they will have to complete a grueling licensing process, agree to maintain their qualifications through continuing education every two years, and pass a test that proves competency. They will also required to maintain a minimum level of insurance. The State has put a complaint process in place for consumers to use if they are not happy with an inspectors service.
Currently, 31 states have written regulations for home inspectors in place. TN finally put their licensing requirements in effect on July 1, 2006. While the system is not perfect, it will definitely get rid of some of the individuals who were in the business for quick profit, and those who were simply not qualified to be doing inspections for home buyers.
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