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I hired a home inspector that some friends highly recommended. He inspected the house we are purchasing the first week of January. At the time of the inspection he did not have his radon test kit, so he had to go back the following week to place the test. The week after the inspection I got the report with the exception of the radon test which would take another week. A week passed and the inspector did not call. I called the following week. He claimed he was meaning to call us but misplaced our paperwork. He further stated the lab did not receive the radon test and may have gotten lost in the mail, therefore he needed to go back to the house do do another test. He further added he would reconfirm with the lab again the following day and call me back. A few days past he didn't call back. I called again and he stated he needed to do another radon test. Luckily he was able to place the test that same day. Two days later he picked it up and mailed it to the lab. Supposedly he would have the result later that week. I told him to call me the begining of the following week (which is this week). Monday he didn't call. Tuesday I left him a message...to my surprise he called me back stating he would call the lab and call me later or the following day. He didn't feel well so he was going to lay down for a while.
Well, I have left him messages everyday this week and he has not called me back. Yesterday, he spoke to my husband briefly stating he was in the middle of an inspection, would be in the office, and call us later. We have not gotten a call.
As per my lawyer all we are waiting on is this radon test. Once we receive the results we could continue the negotiation which has been postponed for weeks, and possibly close on the house within the week.
The couple who recommended this inspector are so embarrassed. They did not have this experience with him. The inspector is good at what he does, but he lacks in customer service. He doesn't follow up with his customers. I have been extremely patient with this guy. Unfortunately, I learned I must contact him to get answers which is how I found out the radon test got lost in the mail. I can't believe this guy doesn't have 5 minutes to call a customer and advise if he did or did not get the radon test results.
What should I do? Do I really need to do this radon test to complete the home purchase? I don't want to inconvenience the sellers again and have another one done. Plus I don't want to keep posting this home buying transaction. I need to close on the house by the end of this month.
I'm thinking of contacting the Better Business Bureau and filing a complaint. What else can I do?
I would also say dont pay him. But I believe his funds come from the closing monies. Either way money does not seem to motivate him.
Home Inspectors.....AKA Deal Killers. What a joke they are. I love the way they make a leaking faucet sound like a federal disaster in thier reports which will of course scare away the clueless home buyer.
Radon tests. I remember those usless tests back east. Not a one of them are accurate because the seller will take that radon can and place it outdoors the very second that Inspector leaves. They will put it back in the basement an hour before he comes back. If the seller does something stupid like be honest and leave the can in the basement and if it reads too high........well the cost to fix the radon problem could cost $10-15,000. So the buyers back off and the seller loses a buyer. In this lousy market, that one lonely buyer might be the only buyer in 9 states.
desertsun41 - I sold many houses and would NEVER try to alter a radon test. How could someone be so dishonest? The people in that home could have cancer because you took the cansister out! How can you live with yourslef.
Back to the orignal question - there is something very wrong with your inspector. Sounds like a substance abuse propblem. Of course you want the seller to pay for the remediation, why should you get stuck with it?
I know several people who did put the canister outside for about 1 day ranging to half the time outside or in between the screens and windows, only to bring it back in several hours before the inspector came or mailed to lab. I honestly dont know what to say to these people, I just think they are stupid to tell people. However the tests all came back with so suspicion that it was outside and passed.
I know several people who did put the canister outside for about 1 day ranging to half the time outside or in between the screens and windows, only to bring it back in several hours before the inspector came or mailed to lab. I honestly dont know what to say to these people, I just think they are stupid to tell people. However the tests all came back with so suspicion that it was outside and passed.
That's why a good inspector uses a test canister that has tamper tape on it- it gets taped to the floor or another surface, and if it's moved, the tape shows it'd been moved. They also put tamper tape on any basement windows so they can't be opened to air out the basement.
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