Rhode Island to Require Home Inspector Licensing
Are home inspectors in Rhode Island required to be licensed? Yes and no.
A law to require mandatory licensing of home inspections was originally to take effect on July 1, 2001; however, the licensing program to be administered by the Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board, was never funded, and home inspector licensing has been in limbo ever since that time.
The good news is that the licensing of home inspectors will become a reality, according to George Whalen, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board, which will oversee the licensing of home inspectors. A Special House Commission to Examine the Issue of Licensing Builders and Contractors chaired by House Speaker Tempore Charlene Lima (D-Cranston) and the Board successfully lobbied for the funding of this licensing program as well as crafting a new law to provide more protection for consumers who hire contractors.
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Rhode Island Adopts New Agency Law Effective May 1, 2008
It’s official! Beginning on May 1, 2008, Rhode Island law will have a new and improved agency law.
Why do we need this law? The way that consumers choose to buy, sell, and lease real estate has changed significantly since last century due to the Internet and new business models but our laws in Rhode Island haven’t kept pace. Rhode Island is the only state in the country that favors sellers by presuming that at all real estate licensees represent the seller unless there is an agreement in writing to the contrary. Massachusetts and Connecticut have made changes to their laws. The Rhode Island Association of REALTORS believed that it was time to update and improve our agency laws as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine have done in recent years.
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Legislation to Inspect Cesspools in High Risk Areas Signed by Governor
Rhode Island banned cesspools in 1968 because they do not treat waste; instead cesspools leach untreated waste into our water supplies. The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) estimates that approximately 50,000 cesspools still exist and contribute to pollution of drinking water and water in beach areas, which is why it filed legislation to inspect and replace failed cesspools that are located near key water resources. This legislation does not apply to all cesspools; only those in high risk areas.
The legislation was enacted by the House and Senate and was just signed by the Governor. The effective date of the law is June 1, 2008, which will give DEM time to write regulations to provide more guidance. To read the full text of the law, click here:
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText07/HouseText07/H5037Baa.pdf
The Rhode Island Association of REALTORS originally opposed the legislation but worked with DEM over the past several years to improve the legislation.
Click here to read some of the highlights and to post your comments >>
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