Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 46 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS › Part XL - Home Inspectors › Chapter 5 - Code of Ethics › Section XL-501 - Code of Ethics

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Purpose.
				Integrity, honesty, and objectivity are fundamental principles embraced by this
				Code of Ethics, which sets forth the obligations of ethical conduct for the
				Licensed Home Inspector (LHI). The Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors
				(LSBHI) has enacted this Code to provide high ethical standards to safeguard
				the public and the profession. LHIs in Louisiana shall comply with this Code,
				shall avoid association with any enterprise whose practices violate this Code,
				and shall strive to uphold, maintain, and improve the integrity, reputation,
				and practice of the home inspection profession.
B. Ethical Obligations
1. The LHI shall avoid conflicts of interest
				or activities that compromise, or appear to compromise, professional
				independence, objectivity, or inspection integrity.
2. The LHI shall not inspect properties for
				compensation in which he has or expects to have, a financial
				interest.
3. The LHI shall not
				inspect properties under contingent arrangements whereby any compensation or
				future referrals are dependent upon reported or non-reported findings or on the
				sale of a property.
4. The LHI
				shall not directly or indirectly compensate real estate agents, brokers, or any
				other parties having a financial interest in the closing/settlement of real
				estate transactions, for the referral of inspections or for inclusion on a list
				of recommended inspectors, preferred providers, or similar
				arrangements.
5. The LHI shall not
				receive compensation from more than one party per inspection unless agreed to
				by the client(s).
6. The LHI shall
				not accept compensation, directly or indirectly, for referring or recommending
				contractors or other service providers or products to inspection clients or
				other parties having an interest in inspected properties, unless disclosed and
				scheduled prior to the home inspection.
7. The LHI or any company or firm with which
				the home inspector is an employee, owner, or independent contractor, shall not
				solicit to repair, replace, upgrade, or repair, replace or upgrade for
				compensation, any system or component of the home which the inspector noted in
				the inspection report as deficient, in need of repair or replacement, or unsafe
				for a period of one year following the date of the home inspection.
8. The LHI shall act in good faith toward
				each client and other interested parties.
9. The LHI shall perform services and express
				opinions based upon genuine conviction and only within his areas of education,
				training or experience.
10. The LHI
				shall be objective in his reporting and shall not knowingly understate or
				overstate the significance of observed conditions.
11. The LHI shall not disclose inspection
				results or a client's personal information without approval of the client or
				the clients designated representative. At his discretion, the LHI may
				immediately disclose to occupants or interested parties safety hazards observed
				to which they may be exposed.
12.
				The LHI shall avoid activities that may harm the public, discredit him or
				reduce public confidence in the profession.
13. The LHI shall not disseminate or
				distribute advertising, marketing, or promotional materials which are
				fraudulent, false, deceptive, or misleading with respect to the education,
				experience, or qualifications of the LHI or the company with which he is
				affiliated.
14. The LHI shall
				report substantial and willful violations of this Code to the LSBHI.