| Texas Inspection Firm CODE OF ETHICS FOR HOME INSPECTORS |
1. It is essential that TIF home inspectors exhibit the highest standards of honesty
and integrity in furtherance of the honor of the home inspection profession as a whole. A
thorough home inspection has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all home
buyers. Accordingly, home inspectors shall provide home inspection services in an
honest, impartial and fair manner and shall strive at all times to protect, preserve and
further the health, safety and welfare of the public. In performing home inspection
services, home inspectors shall adhere to the highest principles of ethical conduct.
2. This Code of Ethics reflects the current ethical standards for home inspectors. It
is the department’s intention that this document be a living document and that changes
and updates to this Code be made as deemed necessary by the Firm. It is the obligation
of the home inspector to ensure compliance with this Code of Ethics and the Standards of
Practice.
3. The elected officers (committee) of the Firm may refuse to grant or may suspend
or revoke a home inspectors membership, and may impose penalties not to exceed
$500.00 dollars per violation, upon proof to the satisfaction of the committee that the
holder thereof has violated any of the standards set forth in this Code of Ethics or the
Standards of Practice.
Section 1.2 Fundamental Rules
1. TIF Home inspectors, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
(a) Hold paramount and strive at all times to protect, preserve and further the
health, safety and welfare of the public;
(b) Perform home inspection services in a competent manner;
(c) Issue written reports and make statements in the context of their home
inspection duties in an objective and truthful manner. Home inspectors shall not make
false or misleading statements or omit material facts from their reports or in the context of
their professional activities;
(d) Adhere to the fiduciary duties owed each client, except as otherwise provided in
this section;
(e) Not engage in fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;
(f) Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically and in compliance with
the provisions of the Standards of Practice, TREC and the rules and regulations of the
individual State promulgated thereunder so as to enhance the honor, reputation and
integrity of the profession.
2. TIF Home Inspectors shall be required to cooperate with investigations by the
Departments of thoseStates which the Firm provides inspections. Each applicant or
licensee shall be obligated, on request of the Secretary of State, to supply such
information as may be required concerning his, her or its business, business practices or
business methods, or proposed business practices or methods.
Section 1.3 Ethical Rules of Practice
1. Home inspectors shall fully adhere to and comply with the provisions of Article 12-
B of the Real Property Law and all regulations promulgated thereunder.
2. Written Contracts
(a) Prior to performing a home inspection, home inspectors shall provide a client
with a written contract that clearly and fully describes the scope of service to be provided
and the cost associated with that service. All said contracts shall contain the following
which shall be in type size of not less than six point:
“TIF Home inspectors are licensed by their State in those that require it. TIF Home
Inspectors may only report on readily accessible and observed conditions as outlined in
the standards of practice. TIF Home inspectors are not permitted to make any
statements or comments concerning the adequacy or soundness of the home, its
structure or systems and are not permitted to provide engineering or architectural
services.”
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall only perform services which have been duly
authorized by the client.
3. Non-Disclosure
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall not disclose any facts, data or information pertaining to
a home inspection report without the prior consent of the client or the client’s
representative. If, however; immediate threats to the health or safety of an occupants or
potential occupant are observed during the course of the inspection, the home inspector
may disclose those findings without obtaining prior consent of the client or the client’s
representative.
4. Unlicensed and Unlawful Activity
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall not permit another to use of their name or license so
as to engage in unlicensed or prohibited activity. Home inspectors shall not associate
themselves with any business venture that they believe to be fraudulent or dishonest.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall not engage in, aid or abet the unlicensed and/or
unlawful practices of home inspection, engineering or architecture;
(c) TIF Home inspectors who have knowledge of, or a reasonable belief that a
provision of Article 12-B of the Real Property Law, or the regulations promulgated
thereunder has been violated, shall report the alleged violation to the Department of
State or other appropriate authority and shall cooperate with the Department and/or
authority in furnishing such information and/or assistance as may be required.
(d) TIF Home inspectors shall not engage in unlawful and/or unethical conduct. In
the event that a client insists upon a home inspector engaging in said conduct, the home
inspector shall immediately withdraw from the assignment.
(e) Texas Inspection Firm or its employees shall not install, repair, replace or
upgrade for compensation any system or components in any house that they have
inspected for a period of not less than 4 years from the date of the inspection.
5. Competence
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall not provide home inspection services beyond the
scope permitted by law or regulation and shall not accept or perform services which the
home inspector knows or has reason to know that he or she is not competent to perform.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall not delegate responsibility to another when the home
inspector delegating such responsibility knows or has reason to know that such person is
not qualified by training, experience or licensure to perform said task.
6. Written Reports
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall be objective and truthful in rendering reports and in
making other statements in the context of their professional duties. Home inspection
reports shall include all relevant and pertinent information and shall include the date
when said report is made.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall refrain from willfully making a false report or false or
misleading statements in the context of a home inspection report.
7. Conflicts of Interest
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall avoid conflicts of interest or activities that
compromise their professional objectivity, or have the potential of creating an
appearance that their professional objectivity has been compromised.
Prior to accepting any home inspection assignment, TIF home inspectors shall disclose
all known or potential conflicts of interest that could influence or appear to influence the
home inspector’s judgment or the quality of the home inspector’s services.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise,
from more than one party for services on the same project or for services pertaining to
the same project unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed upon by all
involved and interested parties.
(c) TIF Home inspectors shall not solicit or accept financial or other consideration,
directly or indirectly from persons other than the home inspector’s client.
(d) TIF Home inspectors shall not solicit or accept an assignment or contract from a
governmental body on which a principal or officer of the home inspector’s office or
organization serves as a member.
(e) TIF Home inspectors shall not offer, give, solicit or receive, either directly or
indirectly, any contribution to influence the award of a contract by a public authority and
shall avoid activities which could reasonably be construed by the public as having the
effect or intent of influencing the award of a contract by a public authority.
(f) TIF Home inspectors shall not directly or indirectly compensate, in any way, real
estate brokers, real estate salespersons, real estate brokerage companies, lending
institutions or any other party or parties that expect to have a financial interest in closing
the transaction, for future referrals of inspections or for inclusion on a list of
recommended inspectors or preferred providers or any such similar arrangement.
(g) TIF Home inspectors shall not be influenced in their professional duties by
conflicting interests.
(h) TIF Home inspectors shall not accept financial or other consideration, such as
material or equipment, from suppliers for suggesting the use of, or promoting a specific
product in the course of performing a home inspection.
(i) TIF Home inspectors shall not accept commissions, fees or other consideration
directly or indirectly from contractors or other persons or entities dealing with clients or
employers of the home inspector in connection with work for which the inspector is
responsible for, or has reported upon.
and integrity in furtherance of the honor of the home inspection profession as a whole. A
thorough home inspection has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all home
buyers. Accordingly, home inspectors shall provide home inspection services in an
honest, impartial and fair manner and shall strive at all times to protect, preserve and
further the health, safety and welfare of the public. In performing home inspection
services, home inspectors shall adhere to the highest principles of ethical conduct.
2. This Code of Ethics reflects the current ethical standards for home inspectors. It
is the department’s intention that this document be a living document and that changes
and updates to this Code be made as deemed necessary by the Firm. It is the obligation
of the home inspector to ensure compliance with this Code of Ethics and the Standards of
Practice.
3. The elected officers (committee) of the Firm may refuse to grant or may suspend
or revoke a home inspectors membership, and may impose penalties not to exceed
$500.00 dollars per violation, upon proof to the satisfaction of the committee that the
holder thereof has violated any of the standards set forth in this Code of Ethics or the
Standards of Practice.
Section 1.2 Fundamental Rules
1. TIF Home inspectors, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
(a) Hold paramount and strive at all times to protect, preserve and further the
health, safety and welfare of the public;
(b) Perform home inspection services in a competent manner;
(c) Issue written reports and make statements in the context of their home
inspection duties in an objective and truthful manner. Home inspectors shall not make
false or misleading statements or omit material facts from their reports or in the context of
their professional activities;
(d) Adhere to the fiduciary duties owed each client, except as otherwise provided in
this section;
(e) Not engage in fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;
(f) Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically and in compliance with
the provisions of the Standards of Practice, TREC and the rules and regulations of the
individual State promulgated thereunder so as to enhance the honor, reputation and
integrity of the profession.
2. TIF Home Inspectors shall be required to cooperate with investigations by the
Departments of thoseStates which the Firm provides inspections. Each applicant or
licensee shall be obligated, on request of the Secretary of State, to supply such
information as may be required concerning his, her or its business, business practices or
business methods, or proposed business practices or methods.
Section 1.3 Ethical Rules of Practice
1. Home inspectors shall fully adhere to and comply with the provisions of Article 12-
B of the Real Property Law and all regulations promulgated thereunder.
2. Written Contracts
(a) Prior to performing a home inspection, home inspectors shall provide a client
with a written contract that clearly and fully describes the scope of service to be provided
and the cost associated with that service. All said contracts shall contain the following
which shall be in type size of not less than six point:
“TIF Home inspectors are licensed by their State in those that require it. TIF Home
Inspectors may only report on readily accessible and observed conditions as outlined in
the standards of practice. TIF Home inspectors are not permitted to make any
statements or comments concerning the adequacy or soundness of the home, its
structure or systems and are not permitted to provide engineering or architectural
services.”
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall only perform services which have been duly
authorized by the client.
3. Non-Disclosure
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall not disclose any facts, data or information pertaining to
a home inspection report without the prior consent of the client or the client’s
representative. If, however; immediate threats to the health or safety of an occupants or
potential occupant are observed during the course of the inspection, the home inspector
may disclose those findings without obtaining prior consent of the client or the client’s
representative.
4. Unlicensed and Unlawful Activity
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall not permit another to use of their name or license so
as to engage in unlicensed or prohibited activity. Home inspectors shall not associate
themselves with any business venture that they believe to be fraudulent or dishonest.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall not engage in, aid or abet the unlicensed and/or
unlawful practices of home inspection, engineering or architecture;
(c) TIF Home inspectors who have knowledge of, or a reasonable belief that a
provision of Article 12-B of the Real Property Law, or the regulations promulgated
thereunder has been violated, shall report the alleged violation to the Department of
State or other appropriate authority and shall cooperate with the Department and/or
authority in furnishing such information and/or assistance as may be required.
(d) TIF Home inspectors shall not engage in unlawful and/or unethical conduct. In
the event that a client insists upon a home inspector engaging in said conduct, the home
inspector shall immediately withdraw from the assignment.
(e) Texas Inspection Firm or its employees shall not install, repair, replace or
upgrade for compensation any system or components in any house that they have
inspected for a period of not less than 4 years from the date of the inspection.
5. Competence
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall not provide home inspection services beyond the
scope permitted by law or regulation and shall not accept or perform services which the
home inspector knows or has reason to know that he or she is not competent to perform.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall not delegate responsibility to another when the home
inspector delegating such responsibility knows or has reason to know that such person is
not qualified by training, experience or licensure to perform said task.
6. Written Reports
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall be objective and truthful in rendering reports and in
making other statements in the context of their professional duties. Home inspection
reports shall include all relevant and pertinent information and shall include the date
when said report is made.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall refrain from willfully making a false report or false or
misleading statements in the context of a home inspection report.
7. Conflicts of Interest
(a) TIF Home inspectors shall avoid conflicts of interest or activities that
compromise their professional objectivity, or have the potential of creating an
appearance that their professional objectivity has been compromised.
Prior to accepting any home inspection assignment, TIF home inspectors shall disclose
all known or potential conflicts of interest that could influence or appear to influence the
home inspector’s judgment or the quality of the home inspector’s services.
(b) TIF Home inspectors shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise,
from more than one party for services on the same project or for services pertaining to
the same project unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed upon by all
involved and interested parties.
(c) TIF Home inspectors shall not solicit or accept financial or other consideration,
directly or indirectly from persons other than the home inspector’s client.
(d) TIF Home inspectors shall not solicit or accept an assignment or contract from a
governmental body on which a principal or officer of the home inspector’s office or
organization serves as a member.
(e) TIF Home inspectors shall not offer, give, solicit or receive, either directly or
indirectly, any contribution to influence the award of a contract by a public authority and
shall avoid activities which could reasonably be construed by the public as having the
effect or intent of influencing the award of a contract by a public authority.
(f) TIF Home inspectors shall not directly or indirectly compensate, in any way, real
estate brokers, real estate salespersons, real estate brokerage companies, lending
institutions or any other party or parties that expect to have a financial interest in closing
the transaction, for future referrals of inspections or for inclusion on a list of
recommended inspectors or preferred providers or any such similar arrangement.
(g) TIF Home inspectors shall not be influenced in their professional duties by
conflicting interests.
(h) TIF Home inspectors shall not accept financial or other consideration, such as
material or equipment, from suppliers for suggesting the use of, or promoting a specific
product in the course of performing a home inspection.
(i) TIF Home inspectors shall not accept commissions, fees or other consideration
directly or indirectly from contractors or other persons or entities dealing with clients or
employers of the home inspector in connection with work for which the inspector is
responsible for, or has reported upon.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |