The December, 2002 issue of "The Pennsylvania REALTOR" had this, in part, to say about "PA’s Home Inspection Law: One Year Later."

"The law establishes the criteria for an association to be considered a "national home inspection association," but there is no law, regulation or governmental body that actually states which associations comply with the legal definition."

Who are the compliant, Nationally Recognized, Home Inspection organizations, as defined by Pennsylvania’s ACT 114?

In June of 2001, and prior to enactment of ACT 114, the Home Inspection law, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors (PAR) attempted to answer this question by asking for voluntary responses of the questions defined in the law. The responses were not verified and much confusion ensued. These are the questions;

1. Do you operate on a not-for-profit basis and independent of a franchise?
2. Do you have membership in MORE than 10 states?
3. Do you require performance or participation in more than 100 home inspections for full membership?
4. Do you require an individual to pass a recognized or accredited examination that tests knowledge of the proper procedures for conducting a home inspection in order to qualify for full membership?
5. Do you require your members to comply with a code of conduct an ongoing condition of membership?
6. Do you require your members to attend continuing professional education classes as an ongoing condition of membership?

Since that time the Pennsylvania Home Inspectors Coalition (PHIC) was formed to represent a unified voice of the majority of compliant Home Inspectors in the State, and act as a watchdog to further legislative initiatives effecting the Profession. Since our law is self enforcing, PHIC also took on the task of verifying compliant organizations and Inspectors.

After several communications with PAR, expressing our concerns of confusion by the GRID, it was removed and replaced with a much more Consumer friendly Q&A list. Another collaboration with PAR was the development of an approved "Pennsylvania Home Inspector Compliance Statement" which is available, free, at this site.

In an effort to more clearly identify the truly compliant organizations, PHIC, resubmitted these same questions to all of the same organizations, asking for verifiable proof of their responses, these are the updated questions submitted. Specific wording was added to express the need for a quick response, "A lack of response, or incomplete responses will be viewed as your organizations non-compliance."

1. Operates on a non-profit basis and independent of a franchise. Please include applicable State non-profit status verification of number.
2. Has membership in more than 10 States. Please include a current, active, member roster, with contact information.
3. Requires performance of, or participation in, more than 100 fee paid Home Inspections for full membership and how they are verified.
4. Requires an individual to pass a recognized or accredited examination that tests knowledge of the proper procedures for conducting a Home Inspection in order to qualify for full membership. Please list the accepted examination (s) and recognition or accreditation of that examination.
5. Requires members to comply with a code of conduct as an ongoing condition of membership. Please attach copies of ethical and standards codes.
6. Requires members to attend continuing professional education classes as an ongoing condition of membership. Please list any levels of membership, type of continuing professional education acceptable, and amounts required.
7. Your organizations verification guidelines for the above mentioned requirements of the ACT and the continuing verification process for membership.

These requests were first sent on February 28, 2002, and again, by certified mail on March 19^th, due to a lack of response by many. Also several attempts at contact were made by e-mail. Only two organizations, ASHI & NAHI, provided complete and verifiable responses with first contact. Below, is the current status, of the listed organizations.

• AII: American Institute of Inspectors voluntarily submitted verifiable proof of the above questions on 9-07-05 and was voted in as a compliant member organization on 10-15-05.
• AAHI: Submitted no response, on July 11, 2002, a final letter was sent, stating that if a response was not received by July 31, formal complaint to the Attorney general would be made, again with no response. A formal complaint was filed with the PA Attorney Generals Office of Consumer Protection in early August. The Attorney General sent AAHI a request for response on September 5^th, and due to a lack of response, again on November 4^th. It is PHIC’s opinion, that due to a lack of response, AAHI is not compliant with PA law.
• ACIA: This organization is based on code compliance and new construction inspections. They do not require participation in more than 100 home inspections for full membership, did not respond to our inquiry, and therefore are not compliant.
• AIS: Is an Inspector training facility, is not an association, did not respond to our inquiry, and therefore is not compliant.
• ASHI: Responded immediately with verifiable documentation of our questions and is compliant.
• HIF: Did respond on March 25, with incomplete documentation, further requests became confrontational and they were submitted to the Attorney Generals office on September 18^th. The AG contacted HIF on 10-21-02, and received the same incomplete information previously submitted. PHIC replied, through the AG, and received back, hand written, two word responses. Another request from the AG again received a one paragraph, hand written response. A final request for validation, from the AG, was made on 11-20-02 and further action is pending. It is PHIC’s opinion that due to a lack of complete response, HIF is not compliant.
• IHINA: Did not respond to our requests for validation, however did make an admission to falsifying their initial response and is not compliant.
• NACHI: Responded with only verbal communication and direction to their web site. Continued requests have gone unanswered and formal complaint was submitted to the AG for further action. It is PHIC’s opinion, that due to a lack of verifiable responses, and continued refusals, NACHI is not compliant.
• NAHI: Responded immediately with verifiable documentation of our questions and is compliant.
• SPREI: By definition "is a national educational organization dedicated to providing the highest level of educational achievement for home/building inspectors." And is not compliant.

Check back often as this page will be updated as developments occur. If you hold membership in any of these organizations, and feel these statements are incorrect, please encourage your organization to respond, with validation.