NAHIDarkHouseNAHI Goes Dark. Leaves Inspectors There Too.

What about your NAHI SOP?

NAHI (the National Association of Home Inspectors) is going out of business, it said in a post on its website. http://www.nahi.org/
As far as we can tell, it’s going, going, gone.  They will be missed.

It’s already unloaded all its members on ASHI, according to the post, presumably to avoid refunding membership dues/fees. ASHI is the Amercan Society of Homes Inspectors, a group now celebrating its 40th anniversary.

NAHI stood for objective Standards of Practice (SOP), in a direct reaction to ASHI’s subjective standards.  For example, inspectors are required to do a crawl under NAHI when there is three feet of headroom.  Black and white.  Objective.  Under ASHI, it’s when a crawl is “reasonably accessible” in the inspector’s (subjective) opinion.  But there was no chance NAHI would hand members over to NACHI.  After all, NAHI sued NACHI in federal court and chased it for damages.  So ASHI it was.  ASHI says that brings its merged membership to 7,700 inspectors (though third parties have been trying to verify ASHI membership claims for years, without success).

ASHI also reiterated that “All home inspectors certified by ASHI are required to conduct inspections in accordance to the group’s Standard of Practice and Code of Ethics,” (or “SOP”) in an Aug. 18, 2016 post.  Interestingly, the post originally appeared in “Realtor Magazine,” of all places.  http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily‑news/2016/08/18/two‑rival‑home‑inspector‑groups‑merge.  “Realtor Magazine” is the official publication of NAR (the National Association of Realtors).  The “Realtor” post is on the ASHI site now.

Of course, NAHI immigrants to ASHI may be members, but not be “certified by ASHI.”  So NAHI refugees who find themselves tossed into ASHI do not automatically come under the ASHI SOP.  They also are not required to be members for Kentucky licensing.

In fact, the NAHI SOP will remain live and well here, no matter what became of the long-struggling organization.

At least for now, the NAHI SOP is still live on the NAHI site, if your website or contract uses that link for clients.  We’ll let you know if that’s changing.
NAHI’s SOP is built-into Kentucky law.  KRS 198B.706(13)(b).  That means NAHI inspectors can stick with their SOP.

The KBHI (Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors) has no power to change the law.  The KBHI just crossed its 10th anniversary.

Over that decade, various boards have resurrected the fantasy idea of an SOP totally unique to Kentucky – only to discover the mess that creates, everywhere, from insurance to practice.  Some boards never learn, but it seems likely this KBHI has.

Barring a one-state SOP dropped on Kentucky inspectors, which definitely is not coming soon, if ever, the NAHI SOP will remain a option for all Kentucky home inspectors as a matter of law.

So NAHI inspectors can stick with their NAHI SOP is this year’s renewal cycle for sure.  There is no reason to believe NAHI inspectors would have to ditch their SOP in the foreseeable future either.  The General Assembly will not be back in regular session for two years, even if this board tried to get the law changed.

But, you watch, this may be just a dandy excuse for the KBHI to buy itself a vacation, with hotel and meals paid for by – guess who?  (Here’s a clue: Think license fees so high over $300,000 in unspent KBHI license fees has already been grabbed to balance the budget.)

Gov. Bevin got elected partly on promises to stop government waste.  It’s not “waste.”  It’ll be a “retreat.”  Just ask the Board.  We’ve also got some ocean-front property in Kentucky for sale, if you’re buying that.  Meanwhile, we bid a fond farewell to NAHI.

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