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Thom Walker · #6 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 07:57 PM

[quote=imported_John Smith;6339]Ahhhh, the great licensing debate. As a licensed Professional Inspector in Texas, heres my take:

1. Tough test, reasonably tough requirements for license. 16 hours of continuing education. - Seems reasonable and offers some level of quality for the client using your services

2. Going through some issues at the moment with E/O insurance requirement amendment.
"Some Issues?" What is it going to take to get the picture painted? This is THE issue for your business. You just don't realize it yet. Inshorance (misspelling intentional so that they aren't linked) couldn't be mandated were it not for licensing. And the type of inshorance being mandated does not guarantee the consumer any protection. All the benefits may likely be consumed in your defense. Whatever is left is what is available to the consumer. And from personal experience, I can tell you that you had damned well better hire a separate atty to watch the Inshorance company's Atty. He is there for their protection, not yours. Yes, I have been sued, not by Client, but by the Realtor because her Atty spotted the deep pockets of my (at the time) Inshorance Company.

Guarantee your getting a high quality inspector. No, but no profession is perfect. In all professions, there are those individuals that just barely passed their requirements. Ask a lawyer what the failure is on the bar exam. A lot have taken it more than once.
A more significant question to ask a lawyer is why, if E/O Inshorance is so important for consumer protection, are lawyers not required to carry it?

ASHIs spin on licensing - Gee I wonder what their interest is in that? Thats like the democratic party denouncing tax breaks. It requires them to give up some power.
I'll ignore your ill informed political stance. If the facts can't change your mind, my opinion certainly won't. I would remind you that this is State where it has been a very long time since Dems have had any say in anything. Back to the topic, ASHI has been a major proponent of licensing for a very long time, irrespective of study results they publish now. They have helped to create a scare scenario that made licensing a hotbed issue for pols trying to make names for themselves and for inshorance company's that need new markets. ASHI is first and foremost a business and they will act first in their own best interests.

Before you dismiss me as some sort of anti licensing goofball; I have been a proponent of licensing and still am. However, in Texas, the licensing test has been dumbed down as to be meaningless. I cannot imagine how easy the ASHI test is, if what you say is true.

In Texas, another provision of SB914 is to decertify any school whose students don't pass the State licensing test at a rate of 55% or greater (100 students, 55 or more pass on the first try) So now, we're carrying the teach to test philosophy into our trade schools.

In Texas, there have been 253 complaints against Inspectors OVER TEN YEARS. There have been 53 disciplinary actions OVER TEN YEARS. Yet somehow that idiot in Plano (he's not a Dem) has seen fit to argue, against all evidence, that E/O is necessary to protect the consumer from all these unscrupulous, incompetent, LICENSED inspectors.

Go to the thread on Alert Texas Inspectors and write a letter tonight. It has a far bigger impact on your career than arguing the merits of licensing with Joe.