About ASHI Standards of Practice

[Bach]

If your not a member of ASHI can you still put on a business card that you follow the ASHI Standards of Practice? I don't see why not, but want to be sure

[Chad Fabry]

Yes you can, and you'll be interested to know that I asked exactly the same question here a while back.

[Scottpat]

Why would you want to advertise that you follow the ASHI Standards of Practice when you are not a member of ASHI?

Advertising that you follow particular standards; that you have insurance; that you are Certified; and that you have years of experience when you don't can be detrimental to your business if something should go awry. I have seen it happen in our litigious society.

[Chad Fabry]

ASHI has a set of standards that are actually quite generic to the profession. Advertising that one follows or adheres to an accepted protocol does not require membership, and the only opening my attorney saw for a lawsuit is if you fail to follow the SOP that you've advertised.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Scottpat

Why would you want to advertise that you follow the ASHI Standards of Practice when you are not a member of ASHI?

Advertising that you follow particular standards; that you have insurance; that you are Certified; and that you have years of experience when you don't can be detrimental to your business if something should go awry. I have seen it happen in our litigious society.

But that wasn't the question.

ASHI has claimed for years that their standards were the first ever established for the profession and are the best set of standards published. NAHI doesn't claim to have the first set of standards, but claims that theirs are better. If an association is maintaining that their standards are the best for the profession, than they should not object to anyone in the profession, regardless of affiliation with any professional association or non-affiliation with one, adhering to them. Otherwise, what would be the point of establishing them?

Sure, if you advertise that you have E & O and don't, that is dishonest. If you just got into the business and claim to have done hundreds, maybe even thousands, of inspections, that is dishonest. If you claim to be 'certified' when no true certification process exists, that is dishonest. And yes, if you claim to follow a particular set of standards, and don't, that is dishonest.

I used to be a NAHI member, yet I ensured my reports complied with both NAHI and ASHI standards. Later, I left NAHI and tried ASHI on for size for more than four years and made sure that I continued to comply with both NAHI and ASHI standards of practice. Now I'm an independent and they still comply and I'm not shy about stating that fact.

For more than 9 years, I have stated plainly in my pre-inspection agreement that my reports comply with NAHI and ASHI standards of practice, which they do. When folks have asked me if I was a member of either, I've answered truthfully, depending on my status at that time. So what? There has never been any attempt to mislead anyone and ensuring that my standards comply with NAHI and ASHI standards is a whole lot better than some of the alternative SOP's or not adhering to any standard at all.

Bottom line, if you do adhere to a particular standard of practice, and ensure that your report adheres to it as well, there is nothing dishonest or deceptive about stating that fact. Just don't represent yourself as being a member of any organization that you aren't.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Darren]

The problem I see is that people 'slip in' the ASHI standards thing in a feeble attempt to make people believe they are members of ASHI.

Just last week my neighbor had an inspection completed by a gentleman who is licensed in NJ. It's interesting to note, his business card didn't list his licensed number (against state regulations) but it did have the ASHI logo (he's not a member of ASHI). He also had the neighbor mail in the radon canister.

I had the neighbor send a letter to the state DEP (he could lose his radon certification & get a $750.00 fine), I called and faxed ASHI the business card, next I'm gonna file a complaint with the state.

Darren

[hausdok]

Yeah,

I think that does happen, but I don't believe for a minute that those are huge numbers or I'd see it being done every time I turn around. I think the great majority of independents and others are not trying to represent themselves as something they are not. They are just following a set standard and letting folks know it, so that people will have a place to go to reference what that standard is.

By stating clearly that I comply with those standards and ensuring that I do, I'm limiting my liability to a certain degree. Otherwise, a client could choose to arbitratily decide what he/she thinks is important and take me to court for it. This way, I'm sure that I'm doing what the majority of the profession is doing and telling the client that is what I'm going to do, warning him/her not to expect more and having them acknowledge that fact.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Darren]

Mike;

I agree with you on making it clear to the client what standard your using. This can be (and SHOULD be) done several ways; on your web site, on your brochure, on your inspections agreement and on the front page of your report.

Listing it on your business card, at least to me, seems a little questionable.

Darren

[Les]

I disagree with Mike in our market area. Most of the inspectors here claim compliance with ASHI, yet do not contribute to ASHI, just use "my" standards. Gotta tell you there is a file cabinet in my office full of inspector complaints, by consumers, that involve ASHI standards. Today I spoke to a new inspector that uses the logo and statement of compliance, yet he does not even have a copy of the standards. So he drops the logo and just includes my standards as an indication of his expertise. Go figger'!