When a Home Inspector Sells His Clients' Contact Information ...

… to a third party, in exchange for services to grow his business — in addition to his clients’ permission, should the inspector disclose to his client (1) the fact that he is getting something of value in exchange for the contact information and (2) that he is being paid a commission when his client purchases from the third party?

Or should these facts be concealed from his client?

It should be disclosed in the PIA, IMHO.

Okay … I think we can safely say that Mr. Thornberry - the salesman who purchases private information about home buyers from home inspectors and uses it to solicit them - feels that an inspector should not disclose the sales commissions and other benefits that he is paid in exchange for his clients’ personal contact information.

I would even go as far as to say that he also resents that the question is being asked.

Perhaps he will wait to see what others think before continuing with his attempts to silence me with his personal insults and attacks.

In Texas, the law would require disclosure for compensation of this nature. Unless the law has changed, which is possible, but I doubt it.

Mr. Thornberry appears to feel that this question somehow “discredits” him. I don’t agree.

Thanks, John. I never looked at this from a legal standpoint but more as an ethical one, but you make a good point.

It just seems to me that if I can exchange your personal contact information for products and services that help me to grow my business … and will make an extra $200 if you make a purchase from a sales compnay who solicits you from the contact information I provided to him … I should be disclosing that to you. It would feel dishonest, to me, to conceal it from you.

Interesting. But then, you are the vendor who is purchasing the personal contact information belonging to the inspectors’ clients and using them to sell alarm systems, right? And you think that the inspector should conceal that you are rewarding him for the lead … and paying him a commission on the sale, too. Correct?

Do you see where your opinion in this regard might not be considered very credible to home buyers who are reading this thread?

Yet another thread :slight_smile:

The entertainment value is priceless.

Would it be your position, then, that since you are of the opinion that it does not specifically violate the law in Texas …

… that home inspectors should not disclose to their clients that they are selling the home buyer’s personal contact information in exchange for products and services to assist the inspector in growing their businesses … and also receiving sales commissions when the home buyer makes a purchase from a salesman who uses that contact information to sell them a product?

You seem to be evading the question.

I recall the question that was posed to TREC by Mr. Scanlon (the “ignorant” inspector you referred to) to have more to do with the concept of the service being “free” than for the inspector having actually sold the personal contact information. Perhaps you are getting confused. It must be hard for you to remain 100% compliant with so many different products in so many different states who are constantly changing their laws from one legislative session to the next. Maybe someone can check on that, too.

Normally, I would post something to show how wrong you are, but you are doing it yourself in numerous areas.

The only constructive criticism I can give you at this point is,
Get a life…

I have asked you many times for any proof that any of the things Nathan does are illegal. None has been forthcoming. No lawsuits, no fines, no sanctions, nada, zip, nothing. One would have to conclude that everything he is doing is above board.

Unless you are on a witch hunt…because, if I remember the quote correctly, “You hate Nathan”.

I wonder how whether one likes or dislikes the solicitor who buys the contact information might have anything to do with whether or not an inspector who sells his clients’ personal contact information for financial gain should disclose his financial gain.

Would the fact that I do not like the alarm salesman somehow make it okay for the inspector to conceal his financial gain from the sale of his clients’ personal contact information?

I hate it when I see someone hates another !
Roy Lewis
“I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.”
Booker T. Washington

“Remember, always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember, others may hate you. But those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.”
Richard M. Nixon

James
Have you eve been told you get hyper focused?
Its part of AADD.

Others are correct…you have lost it! :smiley:

What do you want, me to submit a general ledger to all my clients so they know where every dollar I spend goes?

Your feelings about the vendor have plenty to do with it. So far, you have proven nothing.

I have asked you many times for any proof that any of the things Nathan does are illegal. None has been forthcoming. No lawsuits, no fines, no sanctions, nada, zip, nothing. One would have to conclude that everything he is doing is above board.

If the law requires it, otherwise no.

Reaching the point of investigating the definition of the word"slander"… Just saying

George
That has been hashed out .
Defamation is even better.