COLUMBUS, Ohio (WDTN) – A new law going into effect November 1, states any person performing a home inspection for a client, receiving a payment, must be actively licensed with the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing by April 25, 2020.
It’s part of Senate Bill 255 which created the Home Inspector Program, and established a crucial layer of consumer protection.
“Home inspectors at this point are the only part of the entire real estate transaction where those professionals aren’t regulated, and there have been a number of pretty serious complaints over the years,” said Anne Petit, Ohio’s Superintendent of Real Estate and Professional Licensing.
Petit is heading up the brand new seven-member Ohio Home Inspector Board, another provision established November 1.
One of their first orders of business was to enforce new rules requiring anyone conducting a home inspection to become licensed, as well as continuing education requirements, and a renewal process for maintaining that license.
“Ohio’s Home Inspector Board now has adopted a standards of practice document, and it will lay out certain items that will always need to be inspected and reported upon,” said Petit.
Another change going into effect the beginning of this month is conducting a criminal background check on any new real estate salesperson or broker applying for a license.
“White collar crime including wire or mail fraud, also mortgage fraud, theft of course, and anything that has to do with a moral disposition, such as a sexual offense could impact their license being approved,” said Petit.
Another new requirement going into effect this November, if a real estate salesperson refers the new homeowner to a home inspector, they now must provide three names of home inspectors.
For more information on the Home Inspection changes, click here.
For more information on the Real Estate changes, click here.
