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  1. #1
    Jeff Spencer's Avatar
    Jeff Spencer Guest

    Default The Last Guy In........

    With all the foreclosures, are any of y'all seeing more accusations that you are causing damage to houses you inspect?

    I spent most of the day before yesterday in sometimes heated discussion with 2 realtors and 1 homeowner, all who assumed I was responsible for water damage to their master suite caused by a leaking angle stop. I never operate them for obvious reasons. I check behind handles and on stems for leaks, look for corrosion, etc., but never break them over. I clearly state that fact on my report. Nevertheless, in their opinion, I had to be responsible because it happened the day after I inspected the house, and I had to have operated the stop valve because I'd reported the handle of the one next to it as broken and missing. My response to their accusation is that they had da**ed well better have a photo or video of me turning valves if they wanted me to pay for it.

    Late that afternoon, I received a voice mail from the seller's agent stating that they found out it was the buyer who had operated the valve after I told him that I don't. no apology, mind you, just a statement that I was not the guy who did it. The repair, fortunately, comes out of the repair allowance agreed to in the contract.

    Another inspector I talk to frequently just got hit up to replace a laminate floor that homeowners said he damaged during an inspection 6 months ago. The dishwasher overflowed during inspection. He told me that less than a gallon of water was spilled, and he spent about 30 minutes cleaning up and making sure the spillage had stopped. After, he reported it to the seller's realtor. The "damage" was reported by another inspector on an inspection conducted 5 days ago -- nobody said a word in between.

    Last year, I went into 69 houses (out of 483 total inspections) that I was in the year before. This year, 22 out of 130. Conditions in these houses have usually deteriorated significantly by the second inspection. Usually, the previous buyers could afford the purchase, but not ownership of the house. Could it be that given these circumstances, they look to us as a means of affecting repairs they can't afford to do themselves? Something to think about.

    Jeff

    Inspection Referral

  2. #2
    Ron Bibler's Avatar
    Ron Bibler Guest

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    Hey jeff the heat is on. yes sellers/buyer and agents are on the hunt looking for anything to get a bit out of you or your pocket. I had one just the other day. the seller was a licensed general contractor in calif. bone head. if the deal is not going the way they want they will be looking at us for any thing. we need to be as sharp as we can be. Any new inspectors should pay attion this site and ask as many question as they can. we will be see more post like yours in times to come. It was this way back in 1980 then in 1991 and now we see it once more.

    Best

    Ron


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    If some inspector let someone go after him as mentioned because the dishwasher drained water on the floor, and he took the blame for it he should have his mancard pulled.

    He didn't dump the water on the floor, the dishwasher evidently did not drain properly.

    One thing new inspectors should learn, is to get some balls. Stand up for yourself when you know you did nothing wrong. Dont' be scared your going to get sued over such BS.

    If your noting everything on your report as found you should not be cowarding down to these folks.

    Rick


  4. #4
    Ron Bibler's Avatar
    Ron Bibler Guest

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    Well stated Rick!!!

    Best

    Ron


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Healdsburg, CA
    Posts
    1,741

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    Something I learned long ago was to take plenty of photos of "everything" as you go through your inspection, especially if the home is furnished and/or has stored personal items. In the old days it cost me film, but today with digital cameras and some memory sticks its dam near nothing. Those photos where not for my clients, but for my own protection, which showed the general conditions that existed when I was doing my inspection.

    Couple of times I was accused of missing damaged floor coverings and holes in a wall. Review of my photo collection showed a large king sized bed covering the water damage below it and a large China sideboard in the dining room covering what was a big hole in the wall behind it. I sent the appropriate pictures to the claimants and never heard boo after that. As they say, “one picture can be worth a thousand words” and a camera can be a home inspectors best friend.

    I have an inspector friend who once broke a small vase and of course the property owner claimed in was a very rare and priceless Ming Dynasty Vase. My friend took it home, glued it together, took a picture of it, went on the internet, found one exactly like it, bought it for less than 20 bucks, and delivered it to the property owner. Game – set - match!

    Jerry McCarthy
    Building Code/ Construction Consultant

  6. #6
    Jeff Spencer's Avatar
    Jeff Spencer Guest

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    Rick,

    The other inspector did have "gender appropriate anatomy" and stood his ground. So far, so good for him. To his detriment, he doesn't take pictures; he's chided me a number of times for the "time I waste" taking and inserting pictures into reports.

    It's telling that he left a message with the owner's agent, who didn't think it was important enough at the time he reported the problem to look at it herself or forward the information to the owner.

    It's obvious that the dishwasher failed during inspection. It's astounding that more and more owners think we're responsible when it fails, especially when we take more time identifying and addressing the problem then they ever would.

    Jeff


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Chicago IL
    Posts
    2,048

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    Take pictures of anything funky or anything that happens during the insp. You don't have to forward all the pictures you take. Keep the right ones on file just in case you get a phone call. Amazing how fast a picture can shut-up someone looking for a free lunch.
    I had a DW leak once during an inspection. After one phone call the guys attorney knew it had no traction with me. The DW leaked because of X ... not because you/I looked at it the wrong way.
    Never back down, especially realtors.

    www.aic-chicago.com
    773/844-4AIC
    "The Code is not a ceiling to reach but a floor to work up from"

  8. #8
    Kevin Teitel's Avatar
    Kevin Teitel Guest

    Default Re: The Last Guy In........

    Back in Feb. I inspected a foreclosed townhouse that had just been de-winterized. Ran the dishwasher and near the end of the cycle I saw a pool of water spreading from the unit (now I know the reason of the stain in the basement ceiling). The buyers agent decided to leave during the inspection and I do not carry mops. I mentioned to my client that when the agent gets back, he needs to call the bank and tell them about the problem.

    Kevin Teitel
    House-Pro Inspections


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