e080527 Can an Inspector Get Referral Fees From a Contractor?

Identifier: e080527

Date: 05/27/2008

Question

Can an ASHI member performsafety inspections or other inspections and use these inspections to generatereferrals for contractors who are willing to pay a referral fee to the inspector?

Response

Part of our responsibility to our clients is to provide advice and counsel based on our professional judgment. The client must be able to rely on the inspector to provide that advice based on the best interest of the client, not based on the payment of are ferral fee or some other inducement. Limited inspections on homes must still be performed in accordance with the ASHI Code of Ethics. Accepting referral fees in the case described in this RFI is prohibited.