NH DESIGNATION - It's essential that qualified and licensed professionals inspect every new home. As trusted advisors in the home building and buying process, your role in pre-qualifying inspectors is vital to safeguarding your client’s investment.
Your Role in Protecting Homeowners
In your capacity as real estate agents and builders, you are on the front lines of guiding homebuyers. Your commitment to thorough due diligence and high-quality standards helps maintain Mississippi’s reputation for reliable, safe homes. I encourage you to work closely with inspectors by verifying that the inspector assigned to new home inspections has the proper credentials.
Understanding the NH Designation
For more than 20 years, our licensing law has required that any licensed inspector performing new home inspections in Mississippi must include an "NH" designation in their license number. This specific designation confirms that the inspector meets the necessary qualifications for new home inspections.
What to Look For:
- Inspectors’ Credentials: Ensure that any inspector working on a new home has an "NH" in their license number.
- Applicability: This requirement applies to Mississippi-based inspectors as well as those from neighboring states working under reciprocity.
- Compliance Reminder: Inspectors without the "NH" designation are not authorized to conduct new home inspections and may be subject to fines or sanctions.
You can verify an inspector's credentials by visiting the “Find an Inspector” link:
https://www.mhid.webapps.ms.gov/publicview/licenseesearch.aspx
Working Together for Compliance
We have observed some instances where:
- Mississippi-licensed inspectors without the NH designation have performed new home inspections.
- Out-of-state inspectors working under reciprocity may not meet our NH requirements.
These situations pose risks to both homebuyers and industry professionals. Therefore, I urge you to help pre-qualify the inspectors involved in the new home transaction process. Your proactive measures ensure that only qualified professionals handle these critical inspections.
How You Can Help
I invite you to support our enforcement efforts by:
- Verifying that the inspector assigned to each new home inspection carries the proper "NH" designation.
- Documenting the inspector’s name and license number if you encounter any discrepancies.
- Contacting the Mississippi Home Inspector Board with any concerns.
- Sharing this vital information with your network of fellow real estate agents.
The Bottom Line
Our objective is not to impose additional hurdles but to uphold the safety and quality standards that benefit all parties in the home buying process. Your collaboration in pre-qualifying inspectors is essential to ensuring that every new home in Mississippi receives the expert inspection it deserves.
Thank you for your commitment to quality service and for partnering with us to maintain our industry's highest professional standards.
For any questions or to report concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Mississippi Home Inspector Board.
Sincerely,
Gary Smith
Chair, Mississippi Home Inspector Regulatory Board