Home inspector licensure measure passes Senate, heads to Gov. Kasich
By Scott Williams, Ohio REALTORS Vice President of Public Policy
Home inspector licensure took a significant step forward this afternoon, as the Ohio Senate concurred on a measure previously approved by the Ohio House of Representatives. Senate Bill 255, which contains critical consumer-focused oversight of the last remaining unregulated aspect of the home buying process, awaits Gov. John Kasich's signature.
If the bill is signed, Ohio will become the 31st state affording home buyers the assurance that the inspector they hire is properly trained to evaluate and assess the home's condition prior to finalizing the purchase. The measure had the full support of Ohio REALTORS, The Home Inspectors Institute, InterNachi, and the Ohio Chapter, North Central Ohio Chapter and Southern Ohio Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors.
"We're grateful to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof, House Speaker Ryan Smith and Rep. Jim Hughes, the measure's original sponsor, for their strong leadership in securing passage off this critically important consumer protection legislation," said Ohio REALTORS President Tiffany Meyer. "We're also thankful to thousands of Ohio REALTORS who made their voice heard in support of passage.
"For more than a decade, Ohio REALTORS have pursued bringing commonsense oversight to one of the last remaining unregulated aspects of the home buying process -- one that will provide consumers with an important layer of protection when making what is likely the largest financial transaction they will make in a lifetime."
